New head at Cardiovascular Research Foundation

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) has named Jack Lewin as its new president and CEO.

Lewin, also appointed to the board of directors, is already in situ, but will not be with the CRF full-time until January 2014, he told PMLiVE, to allow him to wind down his Washington DC-based consulting firm.

Succeeding William AHimmelsbach, who retired late last year, Lewin brings with him “a unique blend of leadership and management skills”, said the CRF.

A former CEO of both the American College of Cardiology and the California Medical Association, Lewin has also served as director of health for Hawaii, and was the founder and first director of the Navajo Nation Department of Health.

Lewin told PMLiVE that he has a number of priorities. First among these, he said, is “to spend significant time in direct communication with key stakeholders to explore their views about CRF's evolution as it reaches its 25th anniversary this year”.

"A second priority will be to examine how the changing economic and scientific environment in healthcare and health research will impact CRF, and then to position the organisation to participate fully in leading change,” he said.

“Third will be to work with staff and academic leaders to strategically plan about how best to build upon the successes of CRF's basic science research and global clinical trials,” he added.

Lewin told PMLiVE that he is excited to once more focus directly on innovation and on “translating scientific advancement to clinical progress through leading edge education”.

“These are the things CRF is all about. And it is a nimble enough organisation to be able to surf change effectively. That's exciting.”