About Notal Vision

Dr. Kester Nahen is the Chief Executive Officer at Notal Vision, where he was previously the Chief Commercial Officer. Prior to his time at Notal Vision, Dr. Nahen was Managing Director of ophthalmic diagnostic device manufacturer Heidelberg Engineering GmbH and served on the board of the company’s US subsidiary. He led the Heidelberg Engineering commercial organization through over 10 years of strong growth. From 2001 to 2006, Dr. Nahen worked in various product development, product management, medical science and professional education roles at Laserscope Inc., a Silicon Valley based medical laser company. Dr. Nahen was member of the AMS/Laserscope merger executive team. He received his PhD in Physics from the Medical University of Lübeck, Germany.

As the Chief Technology Officer and Director of Notal Vision Innovation Center, Mr. Benyamini is responsible for overseeing the research and development, Engineering and Manufacturing facility in Tel Aviv, Israel. During his 18 years at Notal Vision, Mr. Benyamini had a leadership role in the development and manufacturing of ForeseeHome and in the initiation and successful execution of the AREDS2-HOME study in collaboration with the National Eye Institute. Prior to joining Notal Vision, Mr. Benyamini was Vice President of Engineering and Manufacturing at LaserComm, a telecommunications company based in Dallas, Texas. Prior to that, he held various positions in the Israeli hi-tech industry. Mr. Benyamini holds an engineering degree from Tel Aviv University and an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.

Dr. Rapp joined Notal Vision close to its inception in 2001 and, in 2007, became the Vice President of Research and Development. In this role he managed the development of the ForeseeHome AMD Monitoring Program towards commercialization. Currently, as Executive Vice President of Research and Product Development, he manages the production of pipeline technologies. Prior to joining Notal Vision, he worked as a senior software engineer for several companies in the virtual reality space for TV broadcast, as well as solutions for active eBusiness intelligence. Dr. Rapp holds PhD and MSc degrees in Neuroscience and a BSc degree in Computer Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.

Ms. Benedict is the Vice President of Diagnostic Clinic Strategy and Operations at Notal Vision, where she joined the organization as the Patient Engagement Leader. Ms. Benedict offers over 20 years of healthcare management experience in operational areas, with a primary focus on strategy, planning and implementing healthcare solutions for disease management. Prior to her time at Notal Vision, Ms. Benedict was the Director of Marketing Services at Conifer Health Solutions, where she directed the company’s marketing services and client strategies. Her previous experience includes numerous management positions focused on customer experience and acquisition and retention management in key service lines in the healthcare industry. Ms. Benedict holds a Communications degree from the University in South Florida in Tampa, Florida.

John Hall is the Chief Financial Officer for Notal Vision. Mr. Hall has over 25 years’ experience in accounting and finance working with both Fortune 500 companies and several start-ups, where he has led successful ERP implementations and built strong finance organizations.

Mr. Katsav has been with Ganot Capital since 2009. He has extensive financial and strategic experience with healthcare companies across many specialties and throughout the world. He oversees investments in biopharmaceutical and medical device companies as well as buyouts of healthcare service companies. Mr. Katsav serves on the board of directors of eight portfolio companies, ranging from healthcare services companies with thousands of employees to med-tech and biotech start-ups developing life-altering, cutting-edge technologies. Prior to joining Ganot, Mr. Katsav worked in global healthcare investment banking for 8 years, most recently at Lazard. He graduated from Tel Aviv University with degrees in law and economics, and received an MBA from Columbia University.

Dr. Kester Nahen is the Chief Executive Officer at Notal Vision, where he was previously the Chief Commercial Officer. Prior to his time at Notal Vision, Dr. Nahen was Managing Director of ophthalmic diagnostic device manufacturer Heidelberg Engineering GmbH and served on the board of the company’s US subsidiary. He led the Heidelberg Engineering commercial organization through over 10 years of strong growth. From 2001 to 2006, Dr. Nahen worked in various product development, product management, medical science and professional education roles at Laserscope Inc., a Silicon Valley based medical laser company. Dr. Nahen was member of the AMS/Laserscope merger executive team. He received his PhD in Physics from the Medical University of Lübeck, Germany.

Mr. Oswald is an ophthalmic industry veteran and the former CEO of Notal Vision. Prior to joining Notal Vision, Mr. Oswald served as CEO of Neurotech Pharmaceuticals. As CEO of SARcode Bioscience, he was instrumental in the clinical development of lifitegrast ophthalmic solution 5% (Xiidra^®) for the treatment of dry eye disease, and its subsequent sale to Shire, PLC. Previously, he was Vice President & Business Unit Head for Genentech’s Tissue Growth and Repair Business. During his tenure at Genentech, Mr. Oswald oversaw the highly successful commercial launch of Lucentis^® (ranibizumab injection) for the treatment of wet AMD. Prior to Genentech, Mr. Oswald led the North American Ophthalmology business for Novartis, which, in conjunction with QLT, Inc., pioneered Visudyne^® (verteporfin for injection), the first drug treatment for wet AMD. Mr. Oswald also serves on the board of directors at Okogen, a developer of innovative ophthalmic therapeutics.

Dr. Loewenstein is a professor and director of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Tel Aviv Medical Center. She is considered one of the top international opinion leaders in the field of vitreoretinal disease and surgery. Dr. Loewenstein has had more than 280 publications in peer-reviewed ophthalmology journals, as well as over 20 book chapters. She has been a principal investigator in multiple multicenter drug and device studies, as well as a variety of investigator driven trials. Her main focus of research interest is early detection of macular degeneration including the development of unique technology, drug toxicity of the retina, drug delivery and penetration into the retina, and the treatment of retinal vascular disease. Dr. Loewenstein has received multiple international recognitions and awards, the most notable being The Macula Society’s Arnall Patz Medal for outstanding contribution in studies of retinal and macular diseases and The Macula Society’s Rosenthal Award.

Dr. Slovin brings extensive experience in founding, managing, and successfully exiting Israeli start-up companies such as RDC Communications, Gnome, Tactile Technologies and QuantomiX. At Elron, Dr. Slovin provides business guidance and serves as a director in several of Elron’s group companies.

Dr. Azmon, an ophthalmologist, is one of the co-founders of Notal Vision and was previously the company’s Managing Director. He has spent most of his career as a senior executive in medical device and ophthalmology industries and as an Ophthalmologist in Israel and abroad. Dr. Azmon formerly worked at the Ophthalmology Department of the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. Prior to founding Notal Vision, he founded and managed an educational company. Dr. Azmon has been a coordinator of clinical research projects for numerous companies and has been involved in the development of a number of medical technologies. He was awarded the Israeli Science Foundation grant for his research in visual cortex and object recognition. Dr. Azmon holds an M.D. degree from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.

Eliot Lazar, MD is a clinical ophthalmologist who has focused his efforts on the development of ophthalmology assets from the early pre-clinical stages through to commercial relevance. He has been involved in advancing meaningful therapeutics, drug delivery platforms, and devices through all stages, and has been involved with a wide swath of the ophthalmology ecosystem. Eliot has worked extensively with the investment community, the clinical community and strategic participants in order to advance new and important technologies. For greater than a quarter century, Dr. Lazar has served in various capacities across the ophthalmology community and is a frequent lecturer and advisor to a wide section of the ecosystem.