We’re back this month with a look at the latest updates in the eyecare executive space.
On the agenda: the newest appointments at Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, RxSight, Zenni Optical, Balance Ophthalmics, and Ocuco.
And announced late last week: major leadership transitions at LENZ Therapeutics and CooperCompanies—plus a significant workforce reduction to follow at the former.
Let’s begin with those transitions …
First up: In its Q3 financial results reporting, LENZ made two major leadership announcements:
- President and CEO Eef Schimmelpennink will step down from his current role on Dec. 1
- After serving at the helm for nearly 6 years, he’ll transition to a strategic advisor role
- See here for his comments on move
- Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Dan Chevallard will take over as interim president and CEO
That’s definitely a significant change. What’s the reason?
The move is part of a “strategic reorganization” LENZ is pursuing to “prioritize consumer marketing, allocate capital to maximize sales growth,” as well as reduce projected 2027 annual operating expenses by over 50%.
And as part of that reduction, the company also plans to cut an estimated 75% of its workforce (with just 40 employees to remain).
- This is according to an Oct. 28 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Tell me more.
If you recall, LENZ introduced VIZZ (aceclidine ophthalmic solution)1.44% to the U.S. market last year.
- Its claim to fame: This was approved as the first and only aceclidine-based eye drop for the treatment of presbyopia.
And since then: The company launched a telehealth prescribing option to “accelerate patient access to VIZZ,” while its Q3 2026 product sales have reached a reported $2.6 million of over 38K paid prescriptions.
Can we circle back to this strategic reorganization?
Absolutely. The intent behind the move is centered around VIZZ.
Specifically, LENZ is looking to bring its 2027 operating expenses down by 50%: between $70 and $75 million, with 70% of those funds going toward its consumer-driven sales and marketing strategy.
Read up more on this here.
That’s quite the update. Now let’s move on to the next CEO update.
CooperCompanies (the parent company of CooperVision and CooperSurgical) announced that Albert (Al) White III will step down as president and CEO as well as a member of the Board.
- The timeframe: immediately.
In conjunction with this: Walter (Walt) M. Rosebrough, Jr., has been elected Executive Chair of the Board and will assume “direct oversight of day-to-day operations” at the company.
- The expected duration for this: until a permanent CEO is named.
Give me some background on this new leader.
Rosebrough joined CooperCompanies at the beginning of 2026 as an independent director of its Board of Directors. He previously served as CEO of STERIS plc and most recently held the title of CEO emeritus and senior advisor. Check out more on his executive experience.
And have we heard from Rosebrough at all?
We have. The newly-appointed executive chair, president, and CEO commented that the company’s “recent performance has not met our expectations, and the Board believes decisive action is needed to ensure the company reaches its long-term potential.”
As such, he intends to work with the Board and management team on the company’s priorities for strengthening its growth and value moving forward.
Interesting. So is the former CEO leaving the company altogether?
Not quite—at least, not immediately. CooperCompanies said that White will remain on as a strategic advisor through April 1 of next year.
And while we’re on the subject of change: The company also announced a new addition to its Board of Directors, three current members’ planned departure, and several nominations.
- See here for those details.
Now to Zeiss … didn’t they just announce a new CEO?
You’re thinking of ZEISS Vision Care. which, it’s true, just announced two major appointments last month:
- Jesper Wiengadt as CEO
- Axel Christian as president of ZEISS North America.
This newest announcement is all about Carl Zeiss Meditec, however—a separate operation altogether.
Ah, gotcha. Tell me more then.
Bronwyn Brophy O’Connor is taking over as CEO and joining the Carl Zeiss AG Executive Board, where she’ll be responsible for the Medical Technology (medtech) segment.
She’ll also assume the role of CEO for the Management Board of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG.
- Her start date: Dec. 1
And her predecessor: Andreas Pecher, who has served in the role on an ad interim basis since January.
So where is she coming from?
Brophy is making a lateral move from her current position as president and CEO of VitroLife Group, a Swedish medical device and genetic testing company specializing in reproductive health.
- Specifically, she officially stepped down from that role on Nov 1, after serving since February 2023.
Check out more on the medtech executive’s background, spanning nearly 30 years (including her early career at Johnson & Johnson).
Noted. And what’s Tarsus’ latest update?
The company has appointed Neera Clase as its chief commercial officer (COO), effective this month.
In case this name sounds familiar: Clase has served as Tarsus’ interim COO since July 2026.
- And prior to then, she held the title of senior vice president of Market Access.
- Get a look at her complete 25-year biopharmaceutical experience.
And what’ll her focus be in this new role?
Heading up the company’s commercial strategy and execution—with a major emphasis on expanding the commercial reach of XDEMVY (lotilaner ophthalmic solution) 0.25% among clinicians and patients.
Other areas of focus will include the company’s current clinical programs:
- gildeuretinol (ALK-001) for Stargardt disease
- See here for the latest phase 3 update
- IRX-101, an ocular antiseptic
- Purchase via its acquisition of iRidex Medical
- TP-04 for ocular rosacea
- TP-05 for Lyme disease prevention
Before we move on … what’s the latest from the company?
This past August, Tarsus announced plans to acquire Alkeus Pharmaceuticals (which would mark its second acquisition this year).
Alrighty, who’s next?
That would be RxSight and its two new executive members:
- Taryn Conway as chief commercial officer COO
- Frank Shields as executive vice president (EVP) of Sales and Commercial Strategy
Let’s get a look at both of these.
The two bring a combined 50+ years of executive experience in the eyecare space.
Conway most recently served as vice president of Medical and Scientific Affairs at Bausch + Lomb and, prior to that, was with Revance Therapeutics and Allergan.
- Her areas of expertise: building commercial organizations and overseeing medical strategy in the eyecare, pharmaceutical, and medical aesthetics spaces.
And Shields?
Similar to Conway, the 30-year veteran of the ophthalmic industry was most recently with B+L, serving as head of U.S. Surgical Glaucoma (following its 2024 acquisition of Elios Vision, where he was president).
And before that: He held sales leadership roles at Ivantis and Revision Optics, focusing on cataract, refractive, and glaucoma technologies.
So how will these execs fit into the company’s operations?
The company said these new executive appointments are part of a “broader commercial transformation” to expand customer engagement and support for its flagship product:
- That product: Light Adjustable Lens (LAL), the first and only (FDA-approved) customizable intraocular lens (IOL) for cataract surgery.
- See here for more on the upgraded version, the LAL+.
Any other updates announced recently?
The company actually made a few other major leadership changes this past July (including naming a new president and CEO).
Also worth noting: RxSight and Alcon kicked off a new partnership over the summer that combines RxSight’s customizable postop light-adjustable technology with Alcon’s presbyopia-correcting IOL optical designs.
Alrighty, now to Zenni Optical.
Earlier this fall, the online eyewear retailer named Erica J. Scott as CCO.
Her background: spans commercial growth and brand transformations across international markets.
Most recently: She served as global chief marketing officer (CMO) of Signet Jewelers’ Milestone Brands Division. See here for more on prior her commercial strategy roles.
And what’s the latest from this retailer?
- In September: Zenni introduced the Valve Steam Frame for prescription lens inserts for Valve’s virtual reality (VR) headset.
- And in August: Zenni expanded its Blokcz lens portfolio with an advanced blue light-filtering lens technology.
As for our last coverage of the company, that was back in 2024—when it introduced the VR Vision Screener.
Next up: Balance Ophthalmics.
The medical device company has expanded its leadership team with the appointment of Chris Lee, MS, MBA, as vice president of Clinical.
His background: Lee’s experience lies in the clinical research, product management, medical affairs, and healthcare technology fields—witth an extensive focus in three key areas: ophthalmology, diagnostics, and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled healthcare solutions.
- Most recently: He served as senior clinical research coordinator within the Glaucoma Department of Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University.
And what will his role at Balance entail?
The focus: the FSYX Ocular Pressure Adjusting Pump (OPAP), an intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering device for glaucoma patients. See here for more on the prescription-based, wireless-enabled, FDA-cleared device.
Lee will have a few key obligations, including:
- Heading up Balance’s FDA post-market study, in partnership with True North (a clinical research organization [CRO]) to:
- Support “regulatory obligations”
- Expand the real-world clinical evidence base for its flagship device
- Leading medical affairs strategy (see here for more on this)
- Overseeing inbound research interest
- Assisting in evaluations of future clinical research opportunities
Duly noted. And what’s the latest update on this device?
In addition to announcing Lee’s appointment, Balance also shared that final Medicare payment amounts for the FSYX OPAP (and its associated goggles) have officially taken effect.
- To note: The actual effective date was Oct. 1.
Check out what this means for its Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Level II coding and reimbursement amounts.
And the last leadership update?
Ocuco Limited announced Mike Sullivan as enterprise account executive for North America.
His background: The executive brings over two decades of sales experience spent largely in the eyecare technology space—from sales leadership and account management to enterprise software sales and program development.
- Most recently: He served as an account executive at Eye Cloud Pro. See here for more on his prior roles.
So! What will Sullivan be focusing on in his new role?
One very specific endeavor: Aucitas 3 sales to optical groups across North America.
To refresh: As one of the company’s two flagship products, Acuitas is a cloud-based optical practice management and electronic health record (EHR) software for independent optical practices.
And in recent updates: See here for the company’s latest leadership news from earlier this year.
For more leadership news, see here.