04 February 2011
Medtronic, the medical devices company long known for pace makers, has promoted Urs Brunner to senior director of strategic market access for Latin America. He has responsibilities across all of Medtronic’s six business divisions from his base in South Florida.
Brunner came to Miami in 2007 as Meditronic’s first director of operations and strategic planning for Latin America. He joined Medtronic in 1999 as marketing manager for atrial fibrillation and quickly rose to other positions in the European region.
Before Medtronic, Brunner worked for Intermedics, a pacemaker manufacturer, as a clinical engineer based in Texas and in Belgium. He also worked in Belgium for InControl, a start-up company from Seattle, where he handled functions spanning research to quality assurance and marketing.
Brunner holds a degree in electrical engineering from the Technical School of Rapperswil in his native Switzerland.
The 49-year-old said his top priority in his new job is “using the combined resources of my department efficiently and effectively to create an environment in which patients can freely have access to the life-saving therapies we can provide.”
His biggest challenge in the new post, Brunner said, is “how to shape the imminent changes in the healthcare system in Latin America.”