CooperVision announced today that Nancy Keir, OD, PhD, FBCLA, FAAO has been appointed Senior Director, Life Cycle Management. In this role, she is responsible for the development of long-range strategic plans to drive market-leading growth and the timely delivery of new products that meet customer and market requirements.
CooperVision’s Life Cycle Management team operates the processes by which CooperVision imagines, develops, manufactures, and launches the products in its extensive and innovative portfolio. It also serves a critical role as the connection between the research and development (R&D), manufacturing, and global commercial teams.
Keir joined CooperVision in 2013, most recently having served as Senior Director, Program & Biological Sciences for the company’s R&D leadership team. In this position, Keir directed and led the design and management of research programs for medium- to long-term product development initiatives while fostering key partnerships with clinical investigators and science and technology experts around the world.
“Over the last decade, Nancy has been at the forefront of foundational research for contact lens innovation,” said Simon Seshadri, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing & Life Cycle Management, CooperVision. “Nancy’s experience as an eye care professional working previously in private practice—paired with her extensive background in clinical trials, scientific research, and industry partnerships—will be instrumental in driving our product roadmap for other ECPs, while helping to improve the way people see each day.”
Prior to joining CooperVision, Keir spent 13 years with the Centre for Ocular Research and Education (CORE)—formerly known as the Centre for Contact Lens Research—as a clinical scientist and head of clinical operations. During her time at CORE, Keir worked part-time as a private practice optometrist, managing emergency care for refractive surgery patients, and serving as an adjunct faculty member for the University of Waterloo’s School of Optometry and Vision Science.
Currently, Keir is an elected board member of the International Society for Contact Lens Research and has been involved in other industry organizations including the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society, the Canadian and Ontario Associations of Optometrists, and American Academy of Optometry. She has earned numerous honors and research grants and was awarded fellowships from both the American Academy of Optometry and the British Contact Lens Association. She received her bachelor’s and doctor of optometry and PhD degrees from the University of Waterloo.
Keir succeeds Jane Hasselkus, who retired in April 2022.