Medical device industry renowned executive will lead CARMAT’s artificial heart development to market
Paris, September 14th, 2009 – CARMAT SAS, a medical device company developing a total artificial heart (video), has announced that Marcello Conviti was appointed as Chief Executive Officer. With over twenty-five years’ experience in cardiovascular medical devices (most recently as Senior Vice President Strategy and New Business Development at Edwards Lifesciences), Marcello Conviti has unique and broad international management, clinical development, regulatory, commercial experience in the cardio-vascular sector. He will be based in Paris, France. His appointment comes days after two other industry senior executives, André-Michel Ballester, Sorin S.P.A. CEO and Peter Steinmann, former Vice President of Medtronic, have joined CARMAT’s Board of Directors.
“We are delighted that Marcello Conviti has joined CARMAT as CEO. His exceptional experience in cardiovascular medical devices, his excellent management skills and relationships with the medical community and his international, strategic vision will enable CARMAT to reach the next milestones towards the world’s most advanced artificial heart” commented Jean-Claude Cadudal, CARMAT’s Chairman. “We also wish to thank Michel Finance for his commitment as Acting CEO since incorporation of the company. Michel will remain involved with this exceptional venture, as a member of the Board.”
Marcello Conviti started his career with IBM in Italy in 1978. After a few years working in Italian companies (including the Fiat motor company), Marcello Conviti rapidly focused on pan-European management in the life sciences industry. He spent twelve years in several strategic positions at SORIN BIOMEDICA, a world leader in the design and development of cardiovascular medical devices. Before joining CARMAT, Marcello Conviti held a series of international management roles over 17 years at Edwards Lifesciences, (most recently as Senior Vice President Strategy and New Business Development), the world leader in haemodynamic monitoring and heart valves (including the market-leading Carpentier-Edwards valves, which have revolutionized heart surgery). Marcello is also member of the Board of EUCOMED, the European Medical Technology Industry Association. Marcello Conviti speaks 5 languages and holds an MBA from the University of Turin and a PhD in Information Technology from the University of Pisa.
About CARMAT SAS:
Paris-based CARMAT was created in June 2008 and financed by TRUFFLE CAPITAL (http://www.truffle.com), EADS (http://www.eads.com) and the Fondation Alain Carpentier, with additional funding from the French state innovation agency OSEO (http://www.oseo.fr/). The company has been spun out of a collaboration between the renowned surgeon Professor Carpentier and EADS on implementation of biomaterials and cutting-edge technologies in the construction of an artificial heart. CARMAT intends to market a fully implantable artificial heart that will be able to provide renewed hope and quality of life to the hundreds of thousands of patients suffering in the aftermath of a massive heart attack or with late-stage heart failure and for whom standard drug therapy, ventricular assistance and/or a heart transplant have failed or are not possible. www.carmatsas.com
Press Contacts ALIZE RP Caroline Carmagnol Tel : +33 6 64 18 99 59 - caroline@alizerp.com Juliette Vandenbroucque Tel: + 33 1 41 22 07 32 – juliette@alizerp.com
