Michel Orsinger, president and CEO of Synthes, is slated to become the next chairman of the board of Nobel Biocare after current Chairman Heino von Prondzynski announced his intention to resign.
Orsinger has been active at Synthes, which Johnson & Johnson recently agreed to buy, since 2004. Because of his commitments at Synthes, Orsinger will only become available early next year. The company will propose shareholders elect him at its next annual general meeting in March. In the meantime, he will be attending Nobel Biocare board meetings as a guest.
Nobel Biocare, which used to hold the top spot in the dental implant market, has endured a rough patch as of late. Earlier this year, Nobel brought in former Nestle executive Richard Laube to replace Domenico Scala as CEO after a string of disappointing results, as Reuters notes.
"The leadership changes which follow that consolidation phase on the operational side do not come across as well planned but the candidates are credible; especially Michel Orsinger," Kepler analyst Florian Gaiser said, as quoted by Reuters. "He will chair a board which will profit a lot from his industry experience."
Before joining Synthes, Orsinger spent 10 years with Novartis in various management positions, according to the company's website. The Swiss devicemaker is one of that nation's largest listed companies, as Reuters notes, and analysts have praised it for having the right strategy, products and innovation.
- see the Nobel Biocare statement
- check out the Reuters report