It's the end of an era for Edwards Lifesciences.

After more than two decades at the helm, CEO Michael Mussallem will retire in May 2023. Mussallem has served as the company's CEO since it spun off from Baxter and became a publicly traded company in 2000. At Baxter, he held a variety of positions between 1979 and 2000.

In May 2009, Mussallem was one of six healthcare leaders invited to join Former President Obama as he announced a healthcare savings agreement and talked about healthcare reform.

In 2019, Forbes named Mussallem among America's Most Innovative Leaders, a list that drew quite a bit of criticism for its glaring lack of gender balance (only one woman on a list of 100 business leaders).

"It has been a special honor and privilege to lead our team at Edwards Lifesciences for more than 20 years in their immense contributions to helping and advancing care for millions of patients around the world. I am particularly proud of the 'patients-first' culture that is embodied by our employees and the commitment to innovation and excellence that our global teams demonstrate. Our success to date is a testament to our talented executive leadership and passionate global team, and we are well positioned for an even brighter future," Mussallem said.

He will be succeeded as CEO by Bernard Zovighian, currently corporate vice president and general manager for Edwards' transcatheter mitral and tricuspid therapies (TMTT) business. Zovighian will serve as president at Edwards Lifesciences effective Jan. 1 until he becomes CEO in May, working closely with Mussallem, the board, and the executive leadership team on a smooth transition, the company noted.

As part of the planned CEO succession, Edwards has appointed additional members of the company's executive leadership team to new roles, effective Jan. 1. Larry Wood, corporate vice president and general manager of Edwards' transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) business, will take on an expanded role. Wood will become corporate vice president and group president of TAVR and surgical structural heart, where he will have responsibility for both businesses. Daveen Chopra, who has served since 2018 as corporate vice president and general manager of Edwards' surgical structural heart business, will lead TMTT beginning Jan. 1.

Zovighian joined Edwards in 2015 as vice president and general manager of surgical structural heart, which included responsibility for the company's global valve network. He became corporate vice president of the surgical business and a member of the Edwards executive leadership team in 2016. He then assumed the role of corporate vice president and general manager for TMTT in 2018, establishing a global organization focused on transforming care for patients with mitral and tricuspid disease. During his career, Zovighian has launched breakthrough therapies for patients and developed experience across multiple disciplines and general management, including nearly 20 years at Johnson & Johnson in roles such as regional leadership outside of the United States and worldwide president of one of the company's divisions.

As MD+DI has done in the past when a long-serving CEO at a top-tier medtech company retires, we have compiled a list of Edwards' most memorable moments under Mussallem's leadership on the following slides.

Previously, MD+DI published the Most Memorable Medtronic Moments under CEO Omar Ishrak, and the Most Memorable Abbott Moments Under CEO Miles White.