BD appoints new chief medical officer

BD has announced the appointment of Dr Ellen Strahlman to the newly-created position of chief medical officer and senior vice-president for research and development.

Dr Strahlman will take up the role on April 22nd 2013 and will serve as a member of the company's management committee and leadership team.

She joins the firm from GlaxoSmithKline, where she has served in positions such as chief medical officer, senior medical advisor and global head of neglected tropical diseases, while previous employers include Merck Sharp and Dohme, Novartis, Pfizer and Bausch and Lomb.

Her extensive experience as a senior physician and leader in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries will make her a potentially valuable addition to BD's staff.

Vincent Forlenza, chairman, chief executive officer and president of BD, said: "I am very pleased that Dr Strahlman will be joining BD at a time when we are strategically focused on driving growth through innovation and customer focus."

This comes after the company announced the acquisition of Vienna-based medical technology firm Cato Software Solutions last week.