SAN DIEGO — Sleep sector giant ResMed has announced a
reorganization and restructuring of management "that will
strengthen our focus on the key drivers for ResMed's future growth,
improve our ability to deliver in these areas and result in more
effective investment initiatives," according to Chairman and CEO
Peter C. Farrell, PhD.
Farrell, who founded ResMed in 1989, moved back into the CEO
position in February on the departure of
Kieran T. Gallahue, who left to become chairman and CEO of
CareFusion, a medical technology company that focuses on the
hospital sector.
Since then, Farrell said, he has reevaluated ResMed's strategy
and organization.
"We are dedicated to providing innovative solutions that meet
the needs of our sleep-disordered breathing patients and our
distributors. We are also passionate about addressing the
widespread ignorance which exists concerning the strong correlation
between untreated SDB and such co-morbidities as cardiac disease,
metabolic syndrome/type 2 diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease, perioperative risk, and occupational health and safety,"
Farrell said in a May 23 release.
"We have clinical data to show that treating SDB with nasal CPAP
actually ameliorates and, in some cases, reverses the complications
associated with these disease states, when SDB is present," he
continued. "To this end, we have elected to reorganize certain
business units and management responsibilities to more effectively
align our activities with our strategic goals."
ResMed's new structure, which combines three existing business
units into two and creates a new strategic business unit,
repositions current senior executives without adding new hires, the
company said. Here's a rundown from the release:
The company is aligning its strategic business units to take
advantage of scale and efficiency. Don Darkin will head a
combination of the former sleep and patient interface organizations
as president of the SDB strategic business unit, which is
responsible for product development and marketing. Darkin was
formerly senior vice president, patient interface strategic
business unit.
Geoff Neilson becomes president of the newly created respiratory
care strategic business unit, which will focus on COPD. He was
formerly vice president, ventilation strategic business unit.
A new strategic business unit called ResMed Ventures and
Initiatives will focus on disease states related to SDB and other
market opportunities. JC Kyrillos, formerly senior vice president,
sales clinical and marketing-Americas, will become president of the
unit. Initially the group will focus on SDB diagnostic and
treatment opportunities in patients with concomitant cardiac
disease and metabolic syndrome/type 2 diabetes. It will also focus
on treating SDB in the perioperative care environment, and in the
use of dental appliances to treat mild to moderate SDB.
The company will continue operations with three geographic
commercial regions in Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas.
Michael Farrell, formerly senior vice president, sleep strategic
business unit, becomes president-Americas, responsible for Americas
sales and commercial activities.
Four other corporate staff positions including CFO, CIO, chief
administrative officer and chief strategy officer will report
directly to the CEO, as will all the new positions.
Peter Farrell said the internal changes would help ensure the
company's success. "In addition," he said, "with the initiative of
the new business unit, ResMed Ventures and Initiatives, we will
appropriately make good use of the cash on the balance sheet to
invest in further growth opportunities that correlate with our key
strategic initiatives."
This morning the company released its ResMed Sleep Assessment
app, a new app for iPhone that lets users record themselves during
sleep. The app combines a clinically validated questionnaire that
quantifies a person's risk of sleep apnea with an overnight snore
recorder that lets them compare their snoring to the snoring of an
actual sleep apnea patient.
The app also includes a sleep lab locator, which helps users
find a sleep center in their area, and a "Sounds to Sleep By"
feature with recordings of soothing sounds to play while drifting
off to sleep.
To download the Sleep Assessment app, go to www.resmedsleepassess.com.
