Baxter Chairman & CEO Joe Almeida Explains How to Bring Innovation to a Big Company’s Culture

Prior to joining Baxter in October 2015, Almeida served as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Covidien plc from 2012 through 2015 and was named a director of the company in 2011. Almeida previously served as president of Covidien’s Medical Devices organization, where he oversaw several businesses accounting for approximately two-thirds of the company’s total annual revenues and approximately three-quarters of its operating profit. Almeida also served in several leadership roles at Covidien’s predecessor, Tyco Healthcare, including president of its worldwide medical device business and vice president of worldwide manufacturing. In addition to Covidien and Tyco, Almeida held leadership positions at Wilson Greatbatch Technologies, Inc., American Home Products’ Acufex Microsurgical division, and Johnson & Johnson’s Professional Products division. He began his career as a management consultant at Andersen Consulting (Accenture). Almeida is a member of the board of directors of Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc., a Carlyle Group Company. He also serves on the board of directors of the Medical Device Innovation Consortium and the Board of Trustees of Partners in Health. A native of Brazil, Almeida received a bachelor’s of science degree in mechanical engineering from Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia.