NuVasive appoints new CFO; reshuffles senior management

Michael Lambert has joined minimally-invasive spine surgery specialist NuVasive as executive vice-president and chief financial officer. Mr Lambert was most recently CFO of ophthalmic surgical company Advanced Medical Optics, now Abbot Medical Optics after its acquisition by Abbott in February this year (www.clinica.co.uk, February 27 2009). He succeeds Kevin O’Boyle, who is retiring but will stay until the end of the year to help with the transition. San Diego, California-based NuVasive has also made various changes, which will take effect on January 1 2010, to its senior management team to reflect its strategy for global growth: Patrick Miles will be promoted to president of the Americas; Jeffrey Rydin will become executive vice-president of sales, Americas and also serve as chairman of the newly formed global sales executive committee; Jason Hannon will be promoted to executive vice-president and general counsel. Additionally, NuVasive has created the role of executive vice-president of Asia-Pacific, which will be filled by Takaaki Tanaka. Mr Tanaka, who previously worked for Medtronic, will drive sales and strategic business initiatives in the Asia Pacific region, working from Tokyo, Japan. Stephan Siemers will also assume the new position of executive vice-president of Europe. Mr Siemers, who worked for Johnson & Johnson the past 15 years, will be based in Bremen, Germany.