MicroPort Scientific Corporation appointed Jonathan W. Chen executive director and chief executive officer effective 22 October, then introduced a CEO-led management structure that puts him on a direct reporting line to the board. The Hong Kong Exchange filing, Reuters, and Bloomberg identify the appointment and the associated board departure.
The filing says Dr. Zhaohua Chang resigned as a director and from related positions because of personal commitments. Chang will remain with MicroPort as chief scientific officer, focusing on technological innovation. He also confirmed that he had no disagreement with the board. This is a board-level departure, not an exit from the company’s scientific leadership.
Chen is an internal appointment with a long record at the group. He joined in July 2012 and has held senior leadership roles for more than 14 years, including executive vice president of international operations and investor relations, chief international business officer, and rotating co-CEO and CEO. The filing says his work included expanding international business across the United States, Europe, Asia-Pacific and South America, as well as leading cross-border transactions and partnerships.
The structural change is more consequential than a title update. Under the new model, Chen will report directly to the board and take overall responsibility for day-to-day management and operations. MicroPort says it will establish a President’s Office to support him and coordinate functions. The board also plans to review the division of responsibilities, delegated authority and reporting mechanisms as part of a broader governance review.
That gives readers a clear distinction: Chang remains responsible for scientific innovation, while Chen becomes the single executive accountable for operating the group. The filing does not set a later date for the governance review or the President’s Office. A related transition appeared in Encafeinados’ recent coverage of Nidec naming Michio Kaida CEO after Mitsuya Kishida resigned, though MicroPort’s announcement is more explicit about changing the management structure itself.
The filing adds context to Chen’s experience before MicroPort: more than 29 years across medical devices and life sciences, senior business-development and financial-strategy roles at Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, and life-sciences investment banking at Credit Suisse, Alex. Brown & Sons and Deutsche Bank. He holds degrees in economics and biological sciences from Stanford. The HKEX filing provides the background.
