LivaNova, a global medical technology company, announced that Vladimir A. Makatsaria will be the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and a member of the Board of Directors, effective March 1, 2024. Makatsaria most recently served as Company Group Chairman at Johnson & Johnson MedTech, leading its global Ethicon surgery business.

Makatsaria will succeed Bill Kozy, who has served as Interim CEO since April 2023. Kozy will continue in his role as LivaNova Board Chair.

“Vlad is a respected leader in the medical device industry with a proven reputation for delivering results, driving innovation and building great teams,” said Kozy. “The Board and I have great confidence that Vlad is the right CEO to advance the company’s strategic plan and achieve our goals for long-term growth.”

Makatsaria brings nearly 30 years of experience to the role. In addition to his roles at Johnson & Johnson, he has served as Chairman of the Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association (APACMed) and as an Advisory Board Member to Singapore Management University. Makatsaria holds a Bachelor of Arts in Physiology, a Master of Healthcare Administration and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Minnesota.

“I look forward to working with the global team to deliver meaningful medical technologies to the patients we serve and to achieve LivaNova’s full potential,” said Makatsaria. “I would like to thank the Board of Directors and Bill Kozy for the opportunity to serve as CEO of LivaNova.”