Cirtec Medical Announces CEO Transition and Interim Leadership Appointment

Official Letter Can Be Downloaded Here

May 1, 2025 – Cirtec Medical Corporation, a leading strategic outsourcing partner for complex minimally invasive and active implantable devices is announcing a planned leadership transition. After more than a decade of outstanding service, CEO Brian Highley will be stepping aside from his role.

Under Brian’s leadership, Cirtec has transformed into an industry-leading CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization), achieving sixteen-fold revenue growth and expanding to nearly 2,000 employees across 11 global facilities. His vision and commitment have been foundational in establishing Cirtec as a trusted partner to some of the world’s most innovative medical technology companies.

Given the momentum in the business and solid leadership base that has been established over the past several years, Brian has decided that now is the right time to transition leadership but will remain an active member of the Board as well as taking on a role with 3i advising them on broader medtech strategy and working with them on new opportunities in the sector.

The Board is conducting a comprehensive search to identify a new CEO who will continue building on the company’s strong momentum and long-term strategy.

In the interim, the Board is pleased to announce that Ed Philbin, current Chief Financial Officer, will
serve as Interim CEO. Ed joined Cirtec in 2023, bringing deep expertise in during his long tenure at Jabil / Nypro serving leading medical device customers. Ed has played a key role in strengthening the company’s organizational structure and focusing on achieving our collective ambitious targets. In his interim capacity, Ed will ensure continuity of leadership, maintain strong customer relationships, and support a smooth transition to the incoming CEO. Brian will work closely with Ed and the leadership team to ensure a seamless handover.

The Board of Directors would like to express its sincere gratitude to Brian for his exceptional leadership, dedication, and the many contributions he has made to Cirtec Medical over the past 10+ years. His legacy is one of growth, innovation, and deep commitment to both customers and employees. Richard Relyea notes, “From the beginning of our partnership in 2017, we have been well aligned on a shared vision to focus on the highest-end growth markets and most challenging capabilities set to build a differentiated contract manufacturer. We have achieved that goal, and Brian has positioned the company for sustained success.”

“It has been an incredible privilege to lead Cirtec over the past decade,” said Brian Highley. “Over the past decade plus, we have built one of the leading development and manufacturing partners in the world. We have been on the forefront of innovation and I’m immensely proud of the product platforms we have helped our customers develop and commercialize into the market. We are truly saving people’s lives through our ability to service our customers. I have. full confidence in the team as they continue to build on this strong foundation.”