Baxter Names New President of International Division

Baxter Names New President of International Division

Don’t expect Medtronic Inc. to bury the hatchet with Baxter International Inc. anytime soon, if ever. In fact, the longstanding rivalry between the two adversaries only is likely to intensify in light of Baxter’s recent hire.

Earlier this year, Baxter lured Jean-Luc Butel away from Medtronic by matching his position and title at the Minneapolis, Minn.-based medical device manufacturer. Baxter named Butel corporate vice president and president of its international business unit, a title that practically mimics his professional handle as executive vice president and group president for Medtronic’s international business division.
The pilfering marked Baxter’s second brazen raid of Medtronic’s medtech-rich turf in the span of a month. In mid-December, the Deerfield, Ill.-based firm announced the $325 million acquisition of Synovis Life Technologies, a St. Paul, Minn.-based developer and manufacturer of surgical tools and implantable biomaterials. The companies officially closed the deal on Valentine’s Day.

Butel, 55, resigned from his position at Medtronic on Jan. 20 and joined Baxter a month later, on Feb. 20. He earned $3.7 million at Medtronic in fiscal 2011 but was not entitled to any special payouts or compensation upon his departure, according to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission documents filed by the company.

Considering his background, Butel should have a relatively easy transition to his new position. He performed basically the same duties at Medtronic, leading the company’s international operations and the Asia Pacific regions since joining the firm in 2003. His job description changed slightly last August when Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak fine-tuned the company’s growth strategy to include a greater emphasis on emerging markets (Brazil, Russia, India and China). Ishrak reshuffled Medtronic’s executive committee to help optimize innovation and accelerate globalization, according to an email sent to employees.

Before joining Medtronic in 2003, Butel was president of Independence Technology, a Johnson & Johnson company that developed a powered wheelchair called the iBOT Mobility System. The device used gyroscopic technology to rise and balance on two wheels, elevating the seat; the technology also enabled the device to move two wheels up and over the other two repeatedly so the chair could climb stairs. Independence Technology stopped selling the wheelchair in 2009, about six years after it first hit the market.

Butel also worked at Franklin Lakes, N.J.-based Becton Dickinson and Company, serving in various leadership roles from 1991 to 1999, including general manager of the Microbiology business in Japan, president of Japan operations and president of Worldwide Consumer Healthcare. At Baxter, he will report directly to Chairman and CEO Robert L. Parkinson Jr.

“Geographic expansion continues to be a growth driver for Baxter. Our global presence and the strength of our country and regional organizations position us to meet the ever increasing demand for healthcare worldwide, particularly for the products that we provide,” Parkinson said in a news release announcing Butel’s appointment. “Jean-Luc brings significant international expertise to Baxter and he will be a tremendous asset to the company in his new role leading our international business.”

Butel serves on the board of directors of Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB).
 He earned his bachelor’s degree in international affairs from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and his master’s degree in international business from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Ariz.

Baxter develops, manufactures and markets products for hemophilia, immune disorders, infectious diseases, kidney disease, trauma and other chronic and acute medical conditions.

Endicott Appoints New CFO
There’s a new set of eyes examining the finances of Endicott Interconnect Technologies Inc. David W.
Van Rossum has joined the company as its chief financial officer (CFO), effective immediately.

Van Rossum most recently served as CFO and chief operating officer at Russound Inc., a Newmarket, N.H.-based designer and manufacturer of multi-room audio systems. Before his stint at Russound, Van Rossum spent 20 years with Tyco International, serving as vice president and CFO of Tyco Telecomm from 1997 to 2002. He also currently serves on the board of directors at Service Credit Union.

“David’s broad and diverse financial and leadership experience will bring added value to the company as we continue to focus the organization on growth and operational excellence,” Endicott Interconnect President and CEO James McNamara said in a news release. “I am confident he will make a significant contribution in this complex environment.”

Van Rossum earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from New Hampshire University and an M.B.A. from the University of Southern New Hampshire.

Endicott International bills itself as a supplier of advanced electronic packaging solutions. The Endicott, N.Y.-based firm designs, manufactures, tests and delivers printed circuit board fabrication, semiconductor packaging, and complex assembly solutions. Its customers include IBM, Boeing, St. Jude Medical Inc., GE Medical and the U.S. Department of Defense.