Waters Corporation has appointed Christopher J. O'Connell as its new president, chief executive officer (CEO) and member of its board of directors, effective in September 2015. Chris joins Waters from Medtronic plc.

"Our board of directors focused on identifying a new CEO whose experience best supports the continuation of Waters' culture, business strategies and performance drivers," said  Thomas P. Salice, lead director, Waters Corporation.

"Chris O'Connell's wide range of experiences across all aspects of a technology focused global organisation prepares him well for the Waters CEO position.” he added.

Over his 21 years at Medtronic, Chris O'Connell held a variety of leadership positions, most recently as president of the Restorative Therapies Group responsible for $7 billion in revenue and more than 16,000 employees worldwide. He provided overall strategic direction and operational management of the Group’s five divisions, as well as led the integration of the Group’s activities within the overall strategy of the corporation. Chris earned a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University.

Retiring CEO, Douglas A. Berthiaume will continue in his role as chairman of Waters' board of directors.