Brightflow SAS has announced the appointment of Sophie Humbert as chief executive officer (CEO).
Brightflow is pioneering developments to better manage right heart failure, which occurs when the right ventricle (RV) loses its ability to pump blood to the lungs. Brightflow aims to make available the first long-term percutaneously implantable system to support RV failure without the need for open-heart surgery.
Sophie Humbert comes to Brightflow with a solid track-record in bringing innovative products to market, the company says in a press release. She has structured companies from early-stage, leading them through product development to obtain regulatory approvals, to market launch, with a strategic insight into supply chain management during the commercialisation stage.
“Brightflow is delighted to welcome Sophie, whose decades of medical device and cardiovascular experience and extensive network make her the right person to drive the company’s success, as it enters its next development phase,” said Pascal Lim, president of Brightflow. “With Sophie leading the industrial and market vision, and taking charge of the company structure, we will strengthen our path forward to finalising product development and commercializing our implant.”
Humbert will be responsible for defining the right strategy to make the implantable system ready for patient use. Her mission includes structuring the company, building up a strong team and leading it, in order to add value to the endeavor.
“I was attracted to Brightflow’s smart concept for supporting right heart failure. By bringing this groundbreaking cardiovascular technology to market, I’m confident that we can change the lives of millions of patients for whom no real option exists today. The expertise of the R&D team and the quality of its leadership convinced me to join the Brightflow team,” said Humbert.
Before joining Brightflow, Humbert served as chief operating officer (COO) at LimFlow, recently acquired by Inari Medical for up to US$415million. Prior to LimFlow, she was COO at Arterial Remodeling Technologies, where she succeeded in bringing a bioresorbable coronary stent to CE marking and developed the next-generation drug-coated device in partnership with Terumo. On top of her operational experience, she also acquired executive leadership expertise serving seven years as CEO at CERMA and cermaVEIN.
