Five-Minute Interview

A As Product Manager at Cendres+Métaux, I am the link between customers and all divisions within the company. This means I might be checking how our prototyping guys are coming along with this new part that is smaller than a mustard seed, or discussing the particulars of sterile packaging for a new implant with one of our customers.

 

A After earning a PhD dealing with titanium model surfaces to study bone cell behaviour, I began working as a research scientist on implant surface treatments in the orthopaedic industry. Three years later, I switched to product management within a broader medical environment. The advantage was having a more direct contact with customers.

 

A Being active in the international markets of dental implantology, traumatology, E.N.T., cardiology and neurology. I learn something new almost every day. It is interesting and challenging at the same time. I truly enjoy this combination along with the opportunity to travel abroad.

 

A It is so difficult to select just one! So many important medical devices have been developed that allow handicapped and disabled people to live independently, for example. I think cochlear implants that give a child who is deaf at birth the ability to hear and communicate belongs among the most important medical achievements.

 

A They should apply rigour when selecting subcontractors. Certifications and prices are certainly important factors but, unfortunately, some newcomers are not aware of all of the other issues related to the production of medical devices. I am especially thinking of cross-contamination issues when fabrication is going on for more than one industry within the same production environment. That can have a devastating impact on production quality.

 

A New implants intended to restore certain functions of the central nervous system are very promising. In the near future, those neuroprosthetic devices could cure ailments such as blindness, epilepsy, obesity or Parkinson’s disease.

 

A An acceptable price/quality ratio without compromise on reliability. I want to be sure that our suppliers are not subcontracting to another company and only providing part of the specification just to cut costs. Transparency is very important.