Richard Smith elected President of EuromContact
During its first meeting of the year, the EuromContact Board reviewed recent activities and set key priorities for the year ahead. The Board also elected its Bureau for the next two years.
Richard Smith, Head of Professional Affairs EMEA at Bausch + Lomb, was unanimously elected as the new President of EuromContact. He takes over from Nicoletta Losi, Professional Education & Development Director EMEA at Johnson & Johnson Vision, who has successfully chaired the association for the past eight years.
Richard Smith has been a EuromContact Board member for the last six years and is also Chairman of the Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers (ACLM). With over 25 years of experience in the optical industry, he began his career in optical retail management and has since developed a comprehensive understanding of the sector, demonstrating a strong commitment to advancing eye care through strategic initiatives and collaborative efforts.
Expressing his deep appreciation for Nicoletta Losi’s dedication, Richard Smith highlighted the significant achievements made under her mandate. He emphasized his commitment to building on these developments, stating: “Now it is about leveraging the collective expertise of EuromContact members to drive positive changes in the sector for the benefit of both patients and healthcare professionals.”
In 2025, EuromContact will continue advancing key initiatives across its four main areas of activity : regulatory affairs, sustainability, market data, and communication.
Indeed a particular focus will be on enhancing the implementation of the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) for contact lenses and lens care products :
- Unique Device Identifier (UDI) implementation: Facilitating effective implementation of Master UDI for contact lenses and fostering collaboration among manufacturers, eye care professionals, notified bodies, and software providers. This will include awareness campaigns, training sessions, workshops, and testing activities.
- Advocating for electronic Instructions for Use (eIFU): Building on the results of the European Commission survey, which highlighted strong support from healthcare professionals for electronic IFUs for contact lenses.
- Regulatory framework evolution: Promoting short- and medium-term measures for a regulatory framework that considers the specificities of contact lenses and lens care products.
On the sustainability front, 2025 will mark a significant milestone with the finalization of a standardized framework for conducting Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) for soft and rigid contact lenses as well as lens care products. This framework will ensure a level playing field for manufacturers and reinforce industry commitment to environmental responsibility.
Additionally, for the first time, EuromContact will endorse an EU-wide campaign promoting the benefits of contact lens wear in celebration of World Contact Lens Day on 15 April 2025.
The Board also re-elected Marion Beeler, Executive Director of EFCLIN, as Treasurer of EuromContact, and confirmed Daniela Manenti, General Secretary of ASSOTTICA, as Secretary of the association.
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From left to right : Daniela Manenti (Secretary of EuromContact), Richard Smith(President of EuromContact), Marion Beeler (Treasurer of EuromContact), Nicoletta Losi(EuromContact Immediate Past-President)