OAKLAND, N.J. — Topcon Healthcare has shared the announcement of two new roles. The company has named Christian Odaker, PhD, as the new Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Jacques Gilbert as the Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer.
Dr. Odaker will drive innovations to support the company’s mission to revolutionize health care delivery through the Healthcare from the Eye initiative, which leverages AI-powered disease detection and management using data from non-invasive retinal imaging.
In his 20-year health care and technology career, Dr. Odaker has held senior leadership positions at several global companies. Prior to joining Topcon Healthcare, he served as CTO at Smart Reporting, driving the company’s cloud-based development for automation and streamlining of medical data documentation. He also held leadership roles at Heidelberg Engineering and ESI Group, where he managed global research and development teams, drove cross-functional collaboration, and contributed to the successful launch of numerous technologies.
Dr. Odaker will focus on accelerating the development of new applications and software solutions for the Topcon Harmony digital health platform. He will ensure the Harmony platform is aligned with the evolving needs of the connected care ecosystem, which is fundamental to Healthcare from the Eye. He will also focus on building strategic alliances that enhance Topcon Healthcare’s platform value, expand market reach, and unlock new growth opportunities.
“I am excited to join a company that is committed to transforming health care through innovation and has a concrete plan to accomplish this goal,” Dr. Odaker said. “Topcon Healthcare’s vision for Healthcare from the Eye is inspiring, and I look forward to working with the talented team here to accelerate the development of impactful solutions that will improve patient outcomes across the health care continuum.”
“Christian is a visionary leader with deep experience in both medical technology and digital health,” said Ali Tafreshi, CEO & President of Topcon Healthcare, Inc. “His extensive track record of leading engineering teams and establishing strategic partnerships will be paramount as we continue to evolve and grow our digital health platform.”
Additionally, Jacques Gilbert will lead the development and execution of Topcon Healthcare’s business strategy, also focusing on the Healthcare from the Eye initiative.
With over 25 years of experience in the health care, financial services, and technology sectors, Gilbert brings a wealth of expertise in driving strategic growth, innovation, and business development for both successful startups and multinational corporations. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Healthcare Strategy, Partnerships & M&A at Microsoft, where he played a key role in driving the company’s growth in medical imaging and health care technologies, including the integration of Nuance’s medical imaging technology into Microsoft’s portfolio.
In his new role, Gilbert will lead Topcon Healthcare strategic initiatives, spearhead new strategic partnerships, and unlock growth opportunities to advance Topcon’s position as a leader in health care innovation. Regarding his new position, Gilbert commented, “I am super excited to join Topcon Healthcare on its mission to deliver the Healthcare from the Eye initiative. I look forward to working with the talented Topcon team to help drive this important initiative.”
“Jacques is a dynamic leader with a proven track record of driving innovation and success across a range of sectors,” Tafreshi said. “From my first interaction with him in the early stages of building the Topcon / Microsoft partnership, it was clear that his extensive and unique experience in health care technology and business development will be invaluable as we transform health care.”
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