LivaNova Hires Philips Exec Stefano Folli as President of Cardiopulmonary

LivaNova announced that it has hired Stefano Folli as its new president of Cardiopulmonary (CP), effective June 1. He succeeds Franco Poletti, who will retire on July 31.

Folli will partner with Poletti in the coming months to ensure an easy leadership transition before assuming responsibility for the business on August 1. He will join the LivaNova executive leadership team and report to CEO Vladimir Makatsaria.

“Stefano is an accomplished healthcare and medtech executive with a sharp blend of strategic vision and operational excellence,” Makatsaria said. “With more than three decades of experience, he is known for his authentic, inspiring ability to lead teams to foster innovation, unlock talent potential, and deliver exceptional results. He will work to ensure a smooth transition ahead of Franco’s retirement later this summer.”

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Folli will head the strategic growth of the almost $800-million business. The Cardiopulmonary business features a range of disposables and equipment, including the Essenz perfusion system.

He was most recently exec VP, global president of Ambulatory Monitoring & Diagnostics at Philips, where he led the business, integrated acquisitions, and bolstered its global market leadership. Other leadership roles during his 16-year tenure at Philips include exec VP and head of Global Services and Solutions Delivery, head of North America Services and Solutions Delivery, and president and CEO IIG (Italy, Israel, Greece) at Philips Milan Italy.

Earlier in his career, Folli was CEO of Seco Vending in Bologna, Italy and was a board director for Saeco Group. His career began as a software development engineer in 1992.

“LivaNova has built a strong legacy in Cardiopulmonary, supported by deep customer trust and meaningful innovation,” said Folli. “I look forward to partnering with the global team to further strengthen execution, accelerate innovation, and continue advancing outcomes for patients and clinicians worldwide.”