Roger Guidi

Roger has over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and medical device/diagnostics area focused on the building significant new businesses in the global healthcare market. He has had hands-on experience across the entire spectrum of business creation from conceptualization through business formation, commercialization and successful exits. He has successfully operated in organizations ranging from raw start-ups to senior executive levels of Fortune 50 companies. Roger started his career at J&J in pharmaceutical sales and marketing, and soon focused on the introduction of new products and procedures into the global medical community. While at J&J he launched the Monistat™ franchise in the US. Roger then moved on to more entrepreneurial opportunities in drug delivery systems (ALZA) and the global development of surgical laser systems (Coherent Medical).

The next stage of his career involved the formation and management of several successful start-ups including: Advanced Interventional Systems, Inc. which addressed challenging vascular restenosis issues; VISX, Inc. developed and introduced laser refractive surgery (LASIK). Both achieved IPOs and a combined market value of $1.6B. He was also President of IntelliWire, Inc., a novel nitinol guide wire for improved vascular access which was acquired by a Japanese medical device company.

He was then recruited back to J&J as Vice President of Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation, the J&J venture capital subsidiary. In 9 years Roger invested in and sat on the Boards of Directors of over 20 early stage companies, guiding 9 of them to successful exits during his tenure.

Roger holds 3 medical device patents. He served on the Board of Directors of the American Society lasers in Medicine and Surgery. He currently serves on the Board of Mangers of Ascension Ventures, a strategic venture capital fund with $550M under management. He has a Bachelors degree in Biology from San Jose State University and a Certificate in Pharmaceutical Marketing from the Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College.