Business
STAAR Surgical Appoints Warren Foust and Deborah Andrews Interim Co-CEOs
Search Committee Has Initiated a Global Search to Select Next CEO LAKE FOREST, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- STAAR Surgical Company (“STAAR” or the “Company”)
About this update from Staar Surgical Company
[{"type":"text","content":"\nSearch Committee Has Initiated a Global Search to Select Next CEO\n\n\n LAKE FOREST, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nSTAAR Surgical Company (“STAAR” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: STAA), the global leader in phakic IOLs with the EVO family of Implantable Collamer® Lenses (EVO ICL™) for vision correction, today announced that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) has appointed Warren Foust, President and Chief Operating Officer, and Deborah Andrews, Chief Financial Officer, as interim co-Chief Executive Officers, effective February 1, 2026. Mr. Foust and Ms. Andrews will work together with the other members of the executive leadership team, with support and guidance from the Board, as they lead the Company and manage its day-to-day operations.\n\n\n“Warren and Deborah are respected and qualified leaders with deep knowledge of STAAR and our industry. The entire Board is confident in their ability to ensure business continuity and lead our Company during this period of transition,” said Neal C. Bradsher, Chairman of the Board. “The Board is committed to working diligently to identify and appoint a new CEO.”\n\n\nAs previously disclosed, the Board has established a Search Committee, composed of directors Lilian Y. Zhou (Chair), Mr. Bradsher, Wei Jiang, Louis E. Silverman, and Christopher M. Wang. The Search Committee has initiated a global search for STAAR’s new CEO, including both internal and external candidates. The Committee is engaging with executive search firms and evaluating interest from qualified candidates.\n\n\nAbout Warren Foust\n\n\nMr. Foust joined STAAR in April 2023 as Chief Operating Officer and was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer in March 2025. In this role, Mr. Foust oversaw global sales, marketing, manufacturing, and operations. Previously, he held senior leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson, including Worldwide President of Surgical Vision and Worldwide President of Mentor, along with earlier roles at Roche, Aventis, and DePuy Synthes.\n\n\nMr. Foust serves on a variety of boards and advisory councils including the Ophthalmology Foundation, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Octane, ASCRS Industry Relations, AECOS North America, and the Board of Visitors for the University of Alabama. He holds an M.A. in Marketing and a B.A. in Public Relations from the University of Alabama.\n\n\nAbout Deborah Andrews\n\n\n...