Yvette Waddell (l) with Amanda Davis.

SYDNEY, Australia—The Brien Holden Vision Institute (BVHI) and Brien Holden Vision Institute Foundation have announced new leadership following the resignation of Professor Kovin Naidoo, OD, PhD, FAAO, who had served as chief executive officer of both organizations. Naidoo, a noted academic, optometrist and public health leader, was named CEO of BVHI in December, 2015, having previously served as interim CEO after the passing of founder Brien Holden in July, 2015. Yvette Waddell, a longtime BHVI executive, has been named CEO of the Brien Holden Vision Institute. Waddell, who previously served as chief operating officer, will focus on a “translational research response,” according to a statement by BVHI.

Another BHVI veteran, Amanda Davis, will take on a dedicated position of interim CEO of the Brien Holden Vision Institute Foundation, a role that had traditionally been held by the CEO of the Brien Holden Vision Institute. Davis had previously served as global chief operating officer of the Brien Holden Vision Institute, Public Health, with additional responsibilities as regional director for Asia Pacific. In her new role, she will “drive the public health response,” BVHI said.

The changes to BHVI’s management team will allow an opportunity “to create a new structure for the businesses,” the organization said.

Waddell joined the Institute 25 years ago in the finance department. She was appointed COO in 2003, following previous roles as general manager and executive director. Since August 2015, while holding responsibility for operational support functions and infrastructure, Waddell has overseen commercialization transactions and negotiations for Brien Holden Vision Institute.

In July 2015, Waddell replaced Professor Brien Holden on the board of Institute. She holds group directorships in China and U.S., including Optometry Giving Sight. She is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and was recognized as one of Vision Monday’s Most Influential Women in Optical in 2016.

Davis has a strong background in health and management. She began her career with the Institute in 1995 in the position of clinic manager of the Cornea and Contact Lens Research Unit before taking up the role of human resources manager in 1998. In 2001, she was appointed operations manager for the Institute for Eye Research (now Brien Holden Vision Institute) until 2003 when she accepted the role of chief operating officer of the Vision Cooperative Research Centre (Vision CRC), where she was responsible for overseeing all operational activities.

n 2006, Davis was appointed global chief operating officer, public health division, with responsibility for overseeing all aspects of its governance, finance, human resources, public relations, communications and administration in addition to management of the global budget, the co-development of organizational strategy and regional office management.

Davis was honored as one of Vision Monday’s Most Influential Women in Optical in 2017.