SV Life Sciences Announces Important Senior Leadership Promotions

BOSTON and SAN FRANCISCO and LONDON, Jan. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- SV Life Sciences ("SVLS"), a leading international life sciences venture capital firm, today announced the appointments of Eugene Hill as Chairman, Paul LaViolette as Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer, Tom Flynn as Managing Partner and Hamish Cameron as Operating Partner. James Garvey, who has served in senior leadership roles since 1995, most recently as Chairman, will become the firm's Chairman Emeritus.

In addition to Mr. Hill's role as Chairman, he will remain a Managing Partner and the leader of the Healthcare Services Team, ensuring that SVLS will continue to leverage Mr. Hill's many years of extensive healthcare services operating experience. While a member of the firm, he has made 12 successful healthcare services and healthcare information technology investments. Prior to SVLS, Mr. Hill was a Partner at Accel Partners, where his track record included 12 investments in early stage healthcare services and healthcare information technology companies. Prior to joining Accel Partners, Mr. Hill held several senior management positions in life sciences businesses, including President of Behavioral Health at United HealthCare Corporation, CEO and President of US Behavioral Health and President and Chairman of Sierra Health and Life Insurance Company.

Mr. LaViolette joined SVLS in 2009 as Venture Partner and was promoted to Partner in 2011.  He brings over 33 years of global medical technology management experience to SVLS. As a Managing Partner, he will continue to focus on his expertise within medical device investments, an area where he has established a long, successful track record identifying, investing in and successfully exiting early stage businesses. As the firm's Chief Operating Officer, Mr. LaViolette will leverage his extensive and diverse operating background. Mr. LaViolette previously served as Chief Operating Officer, Group President, President-Cardiology and President-International at Boston Scientific Corporation ("BSC"), a medical device market leader. During his tenure at BSC, Mr. LaViolette helped the company grow revenues over 20 times by integrating two dozen acquisitions and leading product development, operations and worldwide commercial organizations. Prior to BSC, Mr. LaViolette held numerous senior marketing and management positions at CR Bard and Kendall, now Covidien.

As a Managing Partner, Mr. Flynn will continue his work as a key member of the Healthcare Services Team.  Mr. Flynn joined SVLS in 2011 as a Venture Partner and was promoted to Partner in January 2013.  He is focused on investments in the areas of post-acute care delivery and health care information technology services. Mr. Flynn previously served as a Partner at healthcare-focused growth capital investor Ferrer Freeman & Co., where he concentrated on investing activities, including deal origination and structuring, fundraising and portfolio management. Earlier in his career, Mr. Flynn served in a variety of important management roles at GE Capital, Prudential Capital Corporation and Lehman Brothers, focused in the areas of private equity, fixed income and mezzanine debt portfolio management and investment banking.

"With Paul and Tom's well-deserved promotions, SVLS underscores its deep investment expertise and a continued focus on investments in later stage product deals and growth equity deals in the healthcare services sector," stated Gene Hill. "Both Paul and Tom are vital to the success of our firm - particularly this year, which was one of the best years on record for distributions to LPs.  On behalf of everyone, I would like to sincerely congratulate both of them on their promotions and look forward to continuing our work together."

As Operating Partner, Dr. Cameron will continue to leverage his breadth of experience as an integral part of the firms' investment efforts in the biotechnology sector. Dr. Cameron joined the firm in 2008 as a Venture Partner and, during this time, set up and served as Interim CEO of Topivert and Delenex Therapeutics and Chief Commercial Officer at ESBATech. He is currently a Director at Affinium, Delenex, Topivert and VHSquared. Before joining SVLS, Dr. Cameron was CEO of Cambridge Antibody Technology. Prior to that, he held a series of senior R&D positions at AstraZeneca/Zeneca including Head of the Cardiovascular Therapy Area, Senior Vice-President Medical Research and was a member of the R&D Leadership Team. Dr. Cameron started his industry career with Janssen, after working in clinical practice and research in the UK.

"It is with great enthusiasm that we recognize Hamish for his accomplishments and the impactful contributions he has made towards SVLS' success," commented Kate Bingham, a Managing Partner in the London office.  "This promotion demonstrates our ongoing commitment to offering long-term career growth and opportunities for advancement to senior life sciences operators and investors.  I look forward to Hamish's continued success, as he takes on this new role within the firm."

About SV Life Sciences 
SV Life Sciences is a leading international life sciences venture capital firm. SVLS affiliated funds have been investing in life sciences companies since the early 1980s and the firm closed its first dedicated life sciences fund in 1994. SVLS' team of 25 professionals is organized according to experience and specialization into three practice areas: Biotechnology/ Biopharmaceuticals, Medical Devices/Instrumentation, and Healthcare Services/Healthcare IT.  These individuals' diverse and complimentary skill sets and experiences enable SVLS to tailor an investment team for almost any life science business. Typically, SVLS recruits operating executives, called Venture Partners, who have distinguished careers in the life sciences fields and can bring extensive operating expertise to the SVLS portfolio of investments. They assist in sourcing, building and exiting investments successfully.  When possible, these individuals are promoted to serve as Partners and in some cases as Managing Partners within the Firm.  SVLS employs a close symbiosis between operating and financial professional which has led to significant success over five investment funds. SVLS has offices in Boston, London and San Francisco. For more information, please visit the company's website at http://www.svlsa.com.

Contact:

SOURCE SV Life Sciences