SINGAPORE—Alcon, a global leader in eyecare, announced it has appointed Chintan Desai and Stephanie Waugh to lead the company’s Surgical and Vision Care franchises in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. These new appointments reflect Alcon’s commitment to market-leading innovation and growth in the region. Both executives will build on Alcon's product pipeline, year-to-date performance, and strengthen innovation and commercial execution, driving Surgical and Vision Care sales growth in all categories, according to an announcement from the company.

Desai has joined Alcon as vice president, Surgical for Asia Pacific. He succeeds Sunil Vasant, who has been appointed vice president, Commercial Operations and Strategy, Alcon International. Waugh, previously vice president and global head of Ocular Health, has been appointed vice president, Vision Care for Asia Pacific. She succeeds Gustavo Zac, who has been appointed vice president, U.S. Vision Care Marketing. 
 
In his new role, Desai will harness his extensive health care and medical device industry experience in Asia Pacific and the U.S.  and his competence in sales, services, finance, supply chain and project management to solidify Alcon’s industry-leading surgical eyecare market leadership. He joins Alcon’s Surgical International Leadership team and reports to Roger Lopez, president, International, Surgical Franchise.
 
In her past roles with the company, Waugh has played a pivotal role in new product innovation and portfolio strategy for Alcon’s leading eyecare brands, including Systane, Pataday, OPTI-FREE and AOSEPT. She will continue to spearhead the expansion of Alcon’s contact lens and ocular health portfolio in the region and joins Alcon’s Vision Care International Leadership team. She reports to Sophie Dutilloy, president, International, Vision Care Franchise.
 
Rajkumar Narayanan, president, International, said, “Chintan’s regional leadership experience and Stephanie’s deep understanding of our business puts us in good stead to continue our growth in the APAC region. We aim to strengthen our leadership in surgical and vision care by growing our intraocular implants and next-generation surgical instruments for cataract and expanding our contact lens offering and eye drop portfolio.
 
With their combined experience and passion for customers, I know that they will make an immediate impact and lead our business to address the growing regional needs for improved vision by helping people see brilliantly,” Narayanan said.
 
Desai joins Alcon following 23 years at GE Healthcare, most recently as CEO for Southeast Asia. He was integral in leading the commercial team to deliver consistent double-digit growth and established a strong leadership structure to enable sustainable, long-term growth. Under his leadership, GE Healthcare grew its footprint in both public and private sectors in categories such as diagnostic imaging, ultrasound, anesthesia and monitoring solutions, becoming Southeast Asia’s largest company in its category.
 
Desai spent the first decade of his career with GE Healthcare in the U.S. at the GE Healthcare Global HQ. After moving to Asia Pacific in 2008, he held progressive commercial, finance and operational leadership roles for GE Healthcare Asia Pacific, based in Sydney and Singapore.
 
Waugh joined Alcon in 2018 after four years at Novartis Pharmaceuticals. She was most recently global head, External Eye Disease, and oversaw brand and portfolio strategy, integration, new product launches, and commercial strategy for business development and licensing with deals valued at $1.5 billion. Prior to Novartis, Waugh spent nine years at Procter & Gamble in brand management, innovation strategy and business development for brands like Vicks, Pepto-Bismol, Pantene, Olay and Gillette, as well as prescription pharmaceuticals in gastroenterology and women’s health.