Latest news with #ChrisO'Connell
AFP
06-05-2025
- Business
- AFP
CorFlow Therapeutics Appoints Chris O'Connell as Chairman of the Board of Directors
CorFlow Therapeutics AG (CorFlow) is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris O'Connell as Chairman of the Board of Directors, replacing Rick Geoffrion who remains as a Director on the Board. Chris is a highly regarded senior executive, board member and advisor across the medical devices, life sciences and global healthcare industries. Chris built his career over 21 years at Medtronic (MDT) serving in multiple business areas and functions during an era of rapid expansion. This included senior leadership roles in the Cardiovascular and Diabetes business units, before becoming Executive Vice President and President of the Restorative Therapies Group. Chris was a member of the Medtronic Executive Committee for nine years. Chris later became CEO and President of the Waters Corporation (WAT) which he led to robust business and share price growth for over five years. He currently serves as an Independent Director of innovative growth companies in medical devices, life sciences and diagnostics, as well as several non-profit organizations. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: Chris O'Connell, Chairman, Board of Directors, CorFlow Paul Mead, CEO of CorFlow, said 'Chris brings exceptional strategic and operational acumen to CorFlow at a pivotal growth phase, where the company can benefit tremendously from his experience. Chris knows exactly how high the bar is set for excellence across all functions in MedTech, both from his corporate and board experiences, and from having been on the buy side of many M&A transactions. On behalf of our board, shareholders, and employees, we're thrilled to have him on board.' Paul added, 'I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude for the personal support and commitment from Rick Geoffrion over the past few years, who I am glad will remain on our Board in an independent capacity.' Chris joins CorFlow as the company embarks on achieving ambitious Series B objectives, which include two parallel clinical trials, an FDA IDE trial to obtain marketing authorization in the United States, and a landmark randomized therapy trial in Europe. CorFlow's technology aims to be the first to both diagnose and deliver therapy for heart attack patients suffering from microvascular obstruction, with a precise system that fits into the existing workflow for interventional cardiologists. The company's first in human MOCA I study results have been presented at the recent TCT and EuroPCR scientific congresses, and preclinical findings at the European Society of Cardiology meeting. CorFlow closed a €44M Series B in late 2024 with an international venture capital syndicate, and recently added further capital for expanded clinical, R&D, and capability advancement. Chris commented, 'I am honored to join the CorFlow team, and highly motivated by the opportunity to help address a major unmet medical need for patients suffering from microvascular obstruction. CorFlow is poised for breakthrough success with such a transformative technology set, talented CEO and team, and experienced investor group. We have all the ingredients to achieve something special.' About CorFlow Therapeutics: Headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. CorFlow aspires to be the leader in diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for restoring healthy microvascular blood flow anywhere in the human body where a critical need exists. Working in close partnership with scientists from the University of Bern, ETH Zurich and the University Hospital Zurich, in a collaboration funded by the Swiss Innovation Agency (Innosuisse), CorFlow continues to explore applications in and beyond the heart. View source version on Media and Scientific Contact CorFlow Therapeutics AG hello@ © Business Wire, Inc. Avertissement : Ce communiqué de presse n'est pas un document produit par l'AFP. L'AFP décline toute responsabilité quant à son contenu. Pour toute question le concernant, veuillez contacter les personnes/entités indiquées dans le corps du communiqué de presse.
The Advertiser
23-04-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
O'Connell earns chance to conjure a shock in Magic Box
Sydney's Chris O'Connell has earned himself an inviting shy at Taylor Fritz in the Madrid Open, hoping to conjure up a sensation in the 'Magic Box' with the American world no.4 a potentially vulnerable target after his 2025 injury woes.
The Independent
09-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Mayan people's battle with big companies for land ‘like fighting a monster'
The Mayan people's struggle to keep their ancestral land has been described as 'the fourth conquest' and like 'fighting a monster'. The indigenous community has been through continuous displacement, starting with the Spanish conquests in the 16th century. Now private investors are promising poor and marginalised indigenous communities development and jobs for land in the resource-rich nation. Mayans have shown 'remarkable' resilience in response, said policy adviser with the Irish charity Trocaire Chris O'Connell. 'Some Mayans I've read would talk about what's happening now in the country as the fourth conquest,' the Corkman said. 'There was the original conquest, or what they would call the Spanish invasion; there was the land reforms of the 19th century that displaced huge amounts of Mayan populations from their land; there was the 20th century genocide and armed conflict that saw thousands massacred; and now this current situation with mining, palm oil, hydro power – and rare earth minerals as possibly the next phase of this. 'I think when you live in Ireland, when you live in rich countries, you can close your eyes to your understanding of how wealth is acquired and the cost at which it is acquired. 'It can be quite different when you come to somewhere like this.' In the Qʼeqchi village of Chinebal Palestina, in a region dense with looming palm oil plantations, children chant in Spanish 'the people united will never be defeated'. At a Catholic-Mayan infused ceremony – involving flowers and burning candles representing the earth, air, fire, sun, night and life – a spiritual leader waves a stack of legal documents over the smoke to bless them as they pray for Mother Earth. These documents are described as a 'bombshell' that prove their ancestral land is rightfully theirs, said Esteban Hermelindo Cux Choc, a lawyer with the Committee of Peasant Unity (CUC). The 47-year-old said he began campaigning to keep their land when he was just 17. He has become a national representative for indigenous land rights and said he has come under pressure several times to give up the cause. 'Our slogan is for the big companies to get out of here – sugar cane and palm trees. It's not true that they bring development, they just try to exploit our people.' One of the community leaders Domingo Choc Tiul, 54, said the big companies are affecting their food, water, and animals. Asked what message he would have for people in different countries about palm oil production, he asked them to do their research on the damage they cause. 'If they want palm oil, they can harvest it themselves in their countries.' Just outside the main village stands a white cross surrounded by painted stones bearing the name of Jose Chaman Caal who 'died on October 31, 2020 for Mother Earth'. Locals said the 35-year-old was shot dead at the site of the cross, not far from where his wife and six children live, the youngest of whom was 6 months old when he was killed. His death sparked fear and intimidation among the community. 'If we try to do something, they put us in jail, they burn our houses, we get evicted from our places,' Mr Cux Choc said, describing their battle as 'like fighting a monster'. But they have hope that a legal opinion will clarify that they own their ancestral land. 'We now have papers that state this land is ours. They don't know we have papers like that. 'It's going to be a bombshell for them to know that this land is under our name, not the state.' The Polochic Valley in east Guatemala is home to extremely fertile lands on either side of the Polochic River and Lake Izabal, and where the Mayan Q'eqchi people have lived for centuries. In El Estor, local Mayans are concerned about the effects of mining on their farms, health and Lake Izabal. Mayans who spoke to the PA news agency feel strongly that no US company should be allowed to operate in their area while US President Donald Trump deports Guatemalans. Local Gabriel Xi Pochan said they are 'angry' at the thought of a US company taking minerals out of their area and damaging the environment. 'We worry about our kids, they are suffering from so many diseases because of the water. They're contaminating our waters, our rivers, and the state doesn't pay attention.' Sylvia Patricia Caal, 35, from Rubal Pec said that protecting the water supply was particularly important for her. She asked for authorities to listen to their 'indigenous request' not to mine in the area. 'I worry a lot because a lot of lives will disappear. Not only the forest, not only animals, but water. 'What really concerns me is water. Lately, in our community, it feels fresh, fresh air, we have water. But if they start operations, we'll have problems because of the dust discharge when they are operating. 'Our crops won't grow well and we won't be able to feed our animals,' she said. Gilberto Ichich Quiix of Rio Sauce said they don't want their territory to be 'invaded'. He said that the companies are allowed to 'do whatever they want in our land' and called on the Guatemalan government to consult with Mayans on whether to grant these permissions. 'We don't want any mining, we don't want any palm tree oil palms here, we want them out. We don't want any more damage, we just want to be (left) in peace.'
