NAGOYA, Japan--()--Menicon Co., Ltd., Japan's largest contact lens producer, today announced the appointment of seasoned executive Anatole Diep as the new CEO of Menicon Holdings B. V. (MHBV), the European headquarters and subsidiary based in Emmen, the Netherlands.
In his new role, Diep will lead Menicon's business activities across Europe, including launches of a series of new products. The first product will be a hyper-Dk monthly disposable lens, which will reinforce the distribution of Solocare Aqua®, a multipurpose solution that went on sale in the member states of the European Economic Area in April.
Noting the growing popularity of daily disposable lenses in Western Europe, Diep said he looked forward to overseeing the roll-out of Menicon's revolutionary new daily-disposable lens pack there in 2013.
Regarding his appointment, Diep also said, "During my 28 years with Menicon, I have experienced the values of mutual respect, quality, creativity and long-term partnership on a daily basis. These values are at the core of everything we do, across Europe and globally, and in my new role, I will continue to emphasize and amplify them to provide products and services of the highest standard."
As CEO, Diep will report directly to Toshio Matsushima, president of MHBV and executive officer of the parent company Menicon Co., Ltd. "Anatole has been with Menicon since 1984. He has a deep understanding of our products, markets, manufacturing, and most importantly, our commitment to end-user safety. He has an excellent track record and his experience is invaluable, making him the perfect match for this key position as we work toward our ambitious goals," said Matsushima.
Diep, a French national, previously served as president of the Menicon Pharma contact lens care solution factory in France, as well as chief manufacturing officer for Menicon Holdings.
About Menicon Co., Ltd
Headquartered in Nagoya, Japan, and represented in over 80 countries, Menicon is the only contact lens company in the world dedicated to every aspect of the field from material development and lens design to manufacturing of lenses and lens care solutions. Menicon offers an expanding portfolio of innovative lenses, packaging and related products that maximize user comfort and convenience. The company is also the world's largest producer of gas-permeable contact lenses.