Synaptive Medical Expands Medtech Expertise Through Board Additions

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Synaptive Medical, Inc., a medical device and technology company that pursues connections to improve patient care by integrating medical imaging in and beyond the operating room, today announced that Peter Wehrly has been appointed chairman of the board of directors. Richard Butland, Glenn D. Steele Jr. (MD, PhD), and Michael F. DeMane have also joined Synaptive as board members.

“These appointments bring an abundance of business and medical acumen to Synaptive Medical”

“These appointments bring an abundance of business and medical acumen to Synaptive Medical,” said Cameron Piron, president, co-founder, and outgoing executive chairman of the board of directors; Piron continues as a member of the board. “Peter, Michael and Richard have extensive experience in leading medical technology companies and a deep understanding of the medical device sector, while Dr. Steele is the first medical doctor to join our board and brings a wealth of perspective navigating the intersection of healthcare and business. On behalf of Synaptive’s executive team, I welcome them to the company and look forward to a productive partnership.”

These appointments follow the October 2016 addition of David Caluori, principal at General Atlantic, to Synaptive’s board of directors following the announcement of a strategic partnership between the two organizations, and of Alex Crisses, managing director at General Atlantic, as a board observer.

Biographies for the Appointees to Synaptive Medical’s Board of Directors

Peter Wehrly is the former group president of developed markets at Covidien, the manufacturer of medical devices with sales of over $10.7 billion (2014). Peter held profit and loss responsibility for the marketing and sale of products to all developed markets outside the U.S. between 2013 and 2015. He departed following the $42-billion sale of Covidien to Medtronic Inc. in 2015. Prior to this role, Peter was the president of Respiratory and Monitoring Solutions, and was responsible for Covidien’s Japanese, Australia-New Zealand and Canadian businesses. He has also held leadership positions at Medingo Youqneam, an Israel-based team that developed a novel, low-cost, patient benefit-rich insulin pump for diabetic patients that was ultimately sold to Roche, and Medtronic’s Spinal and Biologics business. He started his career with DePuy, a Johnson & Johnson company.

Dr. Glenn D. Steele Jr. currently serves as chairman of xG Health Solutions, an independently operated venture launched by Geisinger Health System to help healthcare organizations create value and improve quality. He is the former president and CEO of Geisinger Health System, an integrated health services organization in central and northeastern Pennsylvania nationally recognized for its innovative use of electronic health records and the development and implementation of innovative care models. He also serves as vice chair of Health Transformation Alliance (HTA), and was previously Richard T. Crane Professor in the Department of Surgery, University of Chicago; vice president for Medical Affairs; dean of the Division of Biological Sciences and the Pritzker School of Medicine; the William V. McDermott Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School; president and CEO of Deaconess Professional Practice Group; and chairman of the Department of Surgery at New England Deaconess Hospital.

Michael DeMane was CEO of Nevro Corp from 2011 to 2016 when he assumed the role of executive chairman; in January 2017, he became chairman of the Nevro board. Michael is a board member for medical technology startups Cardionomic and Rotation Medical, and has served as independent director of eResearch Technology, Inc., a public company specializing in contract research clinical services. Prior to Nevro, Michael was chief operating officer of Medtronic, Inc. and prior to that was Medtronic’s senior VP and president: Europe, Canada, Latin America and Emerging Markets and senior VP and president: Spinal, ENT and Navigation for Medtronic. Michael has held a variety of executive positions with Interbody Technologies, a division of Sofamor Danek, Inc.; Smith & Nephew Pty. Ltd; and Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics. Michael earned a B.S. in Chemistry from St. Lawrence University and an M.S. in Bioengineering from Clemson University.

Richard Butland is the managing partner of Kite Capital, a growth oriented private investment firm. Prior to establishing Kite Capital, Richard spent 15 years at Goldman Sachs where he served in the UK Advisory Group and was named managing director. He also ran the UK M&A Advisory business in 2007 and subsequently moved to the merchant banking division to head its private equity activities in the UK and natural resources across Europe. Richard worked at IBJ Schroder Bank and PricewaterhouseCoopers prior to Goldman Sachs. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Victoria University of Wellington and qualified as a chartered accountant.

About Synaptive Medical, Inc.
Synaptive Medical Inc., a Toronto-based medical device and technology company, collaborates with leading clinicians and healthcare systems to revolutionize products and services that cross traditional barriers to enable continuous improvement in care delivery in and beyond the operating room. Synaptive’s integrated BrightMatter™ solutions — including surgical planning, navigation and visualization, and an informatics platform — are designed to give clinicians the right information they need to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients.