Melanie Young

CFO

Melanie Young was appointed to the role of Chief Financial Officer in October 2008. Ms. Young joined Ellex in January 2005 in the role of Group Accountant, and subsequently assumed the role of Group Financial Controller to manage all facets of the Company’s global finance function.

Ms. Young brings more than ten years experience in financial management and business advisory services, having previously worked for the Growth Solutions division of Deloitte, assisting and advising clients in a number of service, retail and manufacturing industries. Ms. Young holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Deakin University, Victoria, and is a Chartered Accountant.

John Edwards

General Manager, Ellex Australia

John Edwards joined Ellex in April 2009 as General Manager, Ellex Australia. Mr. Edwards has amassed over four decades’ experience in the ophthalmic industry, commencing his career as an Optical Dispenser with OPSM. During his 28 years with OPSM, Mr. Edwards assumed a number of managerial roles, including Head of the Instruments Division, where he had an opportunity to work closely with ophthalmologists throughout Australia. 

Mr. Edwards has also held positions with Alcon Laboratories as Surgical Sales Manager, Alcon Australia before being appointed Divisional Manager, Surgical. In 2000, Mr. Edwards joined an Australian start-up company, ConceptVision, where he served as NSW Territory Manager, involved in the sales of intraocular lenses and a range of ophthalmic capital equipment.  

Morag Greenwood

VP Human Resources

Morag Greenwood was appointed Vice President of Human Resources in February 2006. Tertiary-qualified in Business and Human Resources, she has worked as a senior Human Resources practitioner for over 15 years. Her extensive corporate experience includes both human resources and operational roles for medium and large public companies.

Throughout her career, Ms. Greenwood has specialized providing human resource leadership in changing environments, with particular focus on leadership development and workforce capability. Prior to joining Ellex, she held positions with News Limited, Ansett Australia and James Hardie Industries.

Yukitaka Isoda

VP Sales, Japan (President Ellex Japan)

Yukitaka Isoda joined Ellex in September 2003 as President of then-distributor Amphi Medical Co., Ltd (now Ellex Japan).

Mr. Isoda has over 15 years of senior management experience in importing, operations, marketing and sales in the Japanese medical equipment distribution market. In 1995, he joined Coherent Japan, Inc. as Operations Director, and was appointed President in 1997. When Coherent merged with Lumenis in 2001, he became President of the Ophthalmic Division of Lumenis Japan, Inc. Mr. Isoda received his Bachelor of Arts in commerce at Kansai University in Osaka.

Malcolm Plunkett

VP Advanced Research

Malcolm Plunkett has spent nearly four decades involved in the design and manufacture of industrial and scientific electronic devices for medical industries. Appointed Vice President of Advanced Research in late June 2005, Mr. Plunkett plays a significant role in directing the company’s growth into new markets.

During his 14 years at Ellex, Mr. Plunkett’s accomplishments include directing the development of the selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) technology platform, which has helped Ellex assume a leading position in the glaucoma market. More recently, Mr. Plunkett has led the Ellex 2RT™ (Retina Regeneration Therapy) program, directing clinical trials and ongoing laboratory experimentation.

Richard Stone

VP Operations

Richard Stone joined Ellex in October 2007 as Vice President Operations. Prior to Ellex, Mr. Stone held a variety of roles with Carl Zeiss Vision (formally Sola International), including R&D, manufacturing and quality, with significant experience in production and manufacturing management.

Having worked throughout the Asia Pacific region, Mr. Stone brings a wealth of knowledge in operations management, quality systems, lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies with a focus on best practice implementation and strategic planning. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) and a Master of Business and Technology.

Bill Swaim

VP Sales, Americas (President Ellex USA)

Bill Swaim joined Ellex in April 1995 as Vice President of Sales, US, and in 2001 was appointed President of Ellex USA Inc. Responsible for sales, distribution and service in the Americas, Mr. Swaim manages our highly-successful direct sales force in the United States.

Mr. Swaim has over 25 years of sales, marketing and sales management experience in private and public companies. He was formerly the National Laser Specialist for Alcon Surgical, a U.S.-listed ophthalmic company with annual revenues exceeding US$4 billion. Prior to that, he was a regional sales manager for Biophysic Medical, a French ophthalmic laser and ultrasound company based in the United States.

Christine Warren

VP International Distribution

Christine Warren joined Ellex in June 2004 as Market Development Manager based in Europe, before being appointed Vice President of Greater Europe in 2005. In 2008 Ms. Warren assumed the role of VP of International Distribution, responsible for sales and distribution management throughout Greater Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. Since joining Ellex, Ms. Warren has drawn on her extensive experience in the ophthalmic industry to substantially grow the Ellex business in Greater Europe.

Prior to joining Ellex, she held positions as Director of International Sales and Marketing with companies such as Biophysic Medical, Biovision and Quantel Medical.

Don Watton

VP Quality

Don Watton was appointed the Vice President of Quality in August 2008. An Ellex employee for five years, Mr. Watton held a number of positions in the company’s early years, including Production and Engineering Manager, and was instrumental in the establishment of many company processes. He left Ellex in 2000 to work in quality and regulatory management, and returned to the company in a Business Development capacity in 2003.

Mr. Watton has more than a quarter century of experience in the medical equipment industry, including nine years in Biomedical Engineering at Flinders Medical Center, one of South Australia's largest teaching hospitals.