Chief Executive Officer

This is a CEO appointment at an early-stage structural heart company developing a differentiated heart valve technology with broader platform potential.

The company has completed its seed financing, is backed by investors with both commercial and mission-driven objectives, and is building toward a Series A within 18–24 months. The lead programme is progressing through pre-clinical development toward first-in-human preparation.

What the company needs now is a leader to refine a multi-year company road map, build the organisation around it, secure the next round of capital, and lead the product into clinical development.

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• Own and execute the Series A fundraise, working alongside the existing team, board, and advisors
  
• Build credibility with institutional healthcare investors, and construct the equity story that supports the raise
  
• Operate with capital discipline and with an “owner’s mindset” as a leader and shareholder in the company
  

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• Drive the product through animal studies (current financing), first-in-human preparation, and early clinical studies (future financing)
  
• Develop clinical and regulatory strategy across both established and non-standard pathways relevant to the target markets
  
• Work closely with the technical advisory board to translate the technology into a commercially viable product
  
• Define the longer-term platform roadmap beyond the lead indication
  

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• Build the personnel plan, and then the team and functions required to support clinical and regulatory progression
  
• Establish the culture, cadence and standards of a company moving from research to clinical execution
  

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• Build credibility and relationships with cardiac surgeons, clinical advisors and key opinion leaders
  
• Represent the company to investors, clinicians, regulators and strategic partners, globally
  
• Work closely with the existing leadership and board to ensure an effective transition of executive responsibility.
  

Within the first 24 months, the incoming CEO will have:

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• Closed a Series A on terms that support the business through to first-in-human
  
• Managed the team through completion of animal studies and established a clear, funded pathway into a first-in-human study
  
• Built a chronological organisation plan with the functions required for clinical progression
  
• Established the company as a credible name among cardiac surgeons and the structural heart community
  
• Maintained the capital discipline that has characterised the business to date
  
• Work closely with the team to maintain and build on a culture of success
  

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• Startup operating experience. Senior operating responsibility within an early-stage medical device company, with a track record of delivering meaningful development milestones. First-time CEOs may be considered where startup operating experience is strong, and the individual is credible with the next-round funder.
  
• Fundraising capability. Demonstrable experience raising institutional capital, or significant exposure to the process, with credibility among healthcare investors.
  
• Pre-clinical to first-in-human. Direct experience navigating a medical device from animal studies through regulatory strategy and into a first-in-human study
  
• Cardiac surgery understanding. A background in cardiac surgical devices or procedures, or deep familiarity with how cardiac surgeons evaluate and adopt new technology, is strongly preferred.
  
• Regulatory breadth. Experience developing regulatory strategies across international markets, with the judgement to navigate pathways beyond conventional FDA and CE Mark routes.
  
• Heart valve or wider structural heart background
  
• An established network across the structural heart clinical and investor community
  

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• Substance over style – the board values evidence and clear thinking over presentation
  
• Low ego but decisive – able to draw on the experience already around the table, absorb robust technical challenge, and then drive execution
  
• Personally resourceful; comfortable building with limited resources and operating in a start-up environment
  
• Committed to both the mission and the commercial opportunity
  

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• The first dedicated CEO seat at a company with a genuinely