Medtronic Makes Changes at the Top

To support a restructuring effort by Medtronic Inc., the Minneapolis, Minn.-based firm has made some leadership changes.

Effective immediately, the company will consolidate its businesses into two operating groups, Cardiac Rhythm Disease Management, CardioVascular and Physio-Control; and Spinal and Biologics, Neuromodulation, Diabetes, and Surgical Technologies, according to the company.

In effect, the following leadership changes have been made:

Chris O’Connell has been promoted to the new position of executive vice president and group president for the newly created Spinal and Biologics, Neuromodulation, Diabetes, and Surgical Technologies group. O’Connell was formerly president of the company’s Diabetes business.

An executive vice president for the other group, Cardiac Rhythm Disease Management (CRDM), CardioVascular and Physio-Control, has not yet been named.

Reporting to O’Connell will be Bob Blankemeyer, senior vice president and president of Surgical Technologies; Steve La Neve, senior vice president and president of Spinal and Biologics; Katie Szyman, who has been named as senior vice president and president, Diabetes, and formerly served as senior vice president of Strategy and Innovation; and Tom Tefft, who has been named senior vice president and president of Neuromodulation, and formerly served as vice president and corporate controller.

Additionally, Jean-Luc Butel has been promoted to the new position of executive vice president and group president, International. Butel was formerly senior vice president and president, International.

Dr. Rick Kuntz has been named senior vice president and chief scientific, clinical and regulatory officer. Kuntz was formerly senior vice president and president, Neuromodulation.

“This new structure enables us to capitalize on existing synergies across our businesses and further advances our goal of operating as One Medtronic, an integrated company focused on chronic disease,” said chairman and CEO Bill Hawkins.