Brian Smith joins medtech consultancy Namsa as chief executive officer

Brian Smith has joined Namsa, a Toledo, OH-based medtech consulting firm, as chief executive officer.

Smith, who has over 15 years of experience as a chief executive in medtech and healthcare, succeeds Andre-Michel Ballester, who will transition back to his role as managing partner of Archimed, the private equity owner of Namsa. Archimed acquired a majority stake in Namsa in 2020.

“Brian is globally recognized as a respected healthcare executive, having served in various leadership roles over the past 15 years as a board member, operating partner, chairman of the board, and chief executive officer with extensive experience in operational, commercial, and innovation strategies,” said Ballester. “Brian's international experience, having lived and worked in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore, will be invaluable as we continue to expand our global footprint."

Smith most recently was chairman and CEO of Ad-Tech Medical Instrument Corporation, a US neuro-diagnostic company. Before that, he was CEO of MeriCal, a US-based finished format manufacturer of probiotics, and chairman and CEO of First Engineering, a Hong Kong-based producer of precision plastics for medical devices.

Earlier in his career, Smith was a partner at Ferrier Hodgson Hong Kong Group, a financial advisory firm that was acquired by FTI Consulting in 2010.

"I am thrilled to join an organization with the history, reputation, and contribution to improved patient outcomes that NAMSA has repeatedly demonstrated for decades. I look forward to making my own contribution to this ongoing success story," Smith said.

Namsa was founded in 1967 as a medical device testing lab. The firm today has more than 1,400 people in the US, Europe, and Japan providing medical device testing, preclinical/clinical research, and regulatory compliance consulting.