Paul LaViolette
Edwards LifesciencesAbout Paul A. LaViolette
Paul A. LaViolette (age 67) has served on the Edwards Lifesciences (EW) Board since 2020 and is the Chair of the Compensation and Governance Committee. He is CEO of Pulse Biosciences, Inc. (since 2025) and Managing Partner & COO at SV Health Investors LLC (since 2014), with prior senior operating roles at Boston Scientific (COO, 2004–2008) and earlier leadership across medtech trade groups and manufacturers, reflecting four decades of global medical technology experience .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Scientific Corporation | Chief Operating Officer; various executive roles | 1994–2008 | Led large-scale medtech operations and innovation |
| Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) | Executive leadership | 1998–2008 | Industry advocacy in medical devices |
| C.R. Bard, Inc. | Marketing and general management | 1984–1993 | Commercial leadership in medical technologies |
| Kendall, Inc. | Marketing | 1980–1984 | Marketing roles in medtech |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pulse Biosciences, Inc. | CEO; Co‑Chairman of the Board | CEO since 2025; Co‑Chair since 2024 | Public company leadership |
| SV Health Investors LLC | Managing Partner & COO | Since 2014 | Specialist healthcare fund management |
| Medical Device Manufacturers Association | Chairman of the Board | 2016–2019 | Industry governance leadership |
| Mass General Brigham Innovation Advisory Board | Chairman | Since 2015 | Health system innovation oversight |
| Corvia Medical | Chairman of the Board | Ongoing (not dated) | EW has an investment; <1% interest; considered for independence |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Chair, Compensation and Governance Committee; other members: Leslie C. Davis, Steven R. Loranger, Nicholas J. Valeriani; the committee held six meetings in 2024 .
- Independence: The Board determined LaViolette is independent under NYSE rules; assessed his roles at Corvia Medical (<1% interest) and SV Health’s <10% interest in Endotronix (he recused from EW’s Endotronix acquisition deliberations and vote) .
- Attendance: The Board met 11 times in 2024; each director attended at least 90% of applicable Board and committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting .
- Board leadership: Independent Chairman (Nicholas J. Valeriani); separate Chair and CEO roles .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $108,000 | Includes annual director retainer, committee chair fee, and additional meeting fees for Comp & Gov Committee service |
| Annual Director Retainer (policy) | $85,000 | Standard cash retainer for nonemployee directors |
| Compensation & Governance Committee Chair Fee (policy) | $20,000 | Paid to committee chair |
| Additional Meeting Fees (policy) | $1,500 per meeting above thresholds | Applies if meetings exceed set counts (Board: 10; Audit: 10; Comp & Gov: 7) |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Element | Grant Date | Shares/Value | Vesting | Change‑of‑Control | Holding Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (annual award) | May 8, 2024 | 3,055 RSUs; grant‑date fair value $259,950 | 100% on earlier of one‑year anniversary or next annual meeting | Early vesting on death/disability or change of control | Must hold 50% of net shares until Board service ends after meeting $550k guideline |
| Options | N/A | None disclosed for 2024 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Tenure | Interlock/Related Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pulse Biosciences, Inc. | Co‑Chairman; CEO | Co‑Chair since 2024; CEO since 2025 | Public company; no EW transaction disclosed |
| Misonix, Inc. | Director | 2019–2021 | Prior public board |
| Asensus Surgical, Inc. (TransEnterix) | Director | 2014–2021 | Prior public board |
| Thoratec Laboratories Corporation | Director | 2009–2015 | Prior public board |
| Endotronix, Inc. | Chairman at time of EW acquisition; SV Health <10% stake | Role in 2024 | Recused from EW Board discussion/vote on acquisition; Board concluded independence not impaired |
| Corvia Medical | Chairman of the Board; <1% interest | Ongoing | EW investment; Board concluded independence not impaired |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Extensive medtech operating leadership (Boston Scientific COO; SV Health Investors COO), corporate development, and strategy experience aligning with EW’s focus on structural heart innovation .
- Governance chair experience across multiple boards; human capital, operations management, marketing/communications, and corporate strategy skills cited by EW .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding Shares Beneficially Owned | 7,718 | As of Jan 31, 2025 |
| RSUs Not Vested | 3,055 | 2024 annual award outstanding at year‑end |
| Options Vested & Outstanding | None | No 2024 director options; none listed |
| Total Beneficial Ownership | 7,718 | <1% of shares outstanding |
| Ownership Guidelines (Directors) | $550,000 minimum | Hold 50% of net shares until service ends; no pledging/hedging allowed |
| Guideline Compliance Status | Not disclosed | EW reports guideline and holding rules, not individual compliance status |
Say‑on‑Pay & Shareholder Feedback
- 2024 advisory vote on NEO compensation: For 433,346,235.39; Against 42,323,308.55; Broker non‑votes 30,936,513.00 .
- Ongoing engagement: Since the 2024 Annual Meeting, EW contacted top holders representing ~53% of shares and engaged with holders representing ~34% of shares .
Compensation Committee Analysis
- Committee composition and independence: LaViolette (Chair), Davis, Loranger, Valeriani; all members independent; six meetings in 2024 .
- Scope: Oversees executive pay design, succession/human capital, governance guidelines, director compensation recommendations, stock ownership guidelines, clawback administration, political spending oversight, and corporate impact oversight .
- Consultant: Semler Brossy engaged as independent compensation consultant; the firm provides no other services to EW, supporting independence .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director and committee chair; documented recusal on a potential conflict (Endotronix), robust stock ownership and holding policy, prohibition on pledging/hedging, strong attendance, and independent compensation consultant—all supportive of investor confidence .
- Watch items and potential conflicts: Roles at SV Health Investors and chair positions at Corvia Medical and prior role at Endotronix intersect with EW investments/M&A; Board reviewed and deemed independence unimpaired, with formal recusal noted—continue monitoring future transactions for related‑party exposure .
- Compensation alignment: Director compensation is primarily fixed cash plus time‑vested RSUs; no performance‑conditioned director equity—aligned via ownership guidelines and holding requirements rather than metric‑based pay .
- Shareholder sentiment: Strong 2024 say‑on‑pay support (raw votes) and structured engagement program mitigate governance risk perception .
RED FLAGS: None acute disclosed; potential related‑party intersections exist (SV Health/Endotronix, Corvia Medical), but mitigated by recusal and Board independence determinations. Continued oversight is advisable around any future transactions involving entities with LaViolette affiliations .