Chief Executive Officer

The Organisation

Cyban Pty Ltd is a Melbourne-based medical device company which has been established around intellectual property developed by the company’s Founder, Dr Barry Dixon.

Cyban’s proprietary sensor design and novel signal processing deliver continuous insights of critical clinical indicators.

The company’s patented technology delivers continuous insights without the need for invasive surgery, and does not suffer from contamination of the signal of oxygen levels in the skin from contemporary monitors.

By delivering a reliable, non-invasive method of monitoring brain oxygen levels, Cyban enables timely, confident treatment decisions, and improves the quality of patient care.

With concerted efforts by Cyban’s Board Chair Andrew Maxwell and other Directors, the company has raised significant capital to support product development activities and clinical trials, in collaboration with globally recognised centres of excellence in neurological investigations. The results from these studies have given the company the confidence to aim for registration in the United States through the FDA. The Board took the strategic decision to launch the technology in America in the first instance, while maintaining the company’s headquarters in Melbourne.

The Brief

With the change in emphasis from a device development company to one which is poised for a US market entry, the Board determined that a Chief Executive with strong North American marketing credentials was the type of leadership best suited to Cyban’s strategy.

The Process

Brooker Consulting was invited to submit a proposal as part of a competitive tender, and ultimately won the pitch. A comprehensive briefing session ensued, and the Position Description and an advertising campaign were then agreed. Cyban identified key stakeholders to be consulted for advice regarding potential candidates, as well as some people to be approached by Brooker Consulting. The Search elicited applications from Asia, Europe, the UK and the USA, and Brooker’s initial interviews generated a shortlist of twelve. Of these, the Cyban panel interviewed a handful of candidates of real interest, and reference checking and psychometric evaluations followed.

The Outcome

Dr Mary-Beth Brinson emerged as the preferred candidate, due to her combination of a Doctorate in Audiology and strong managerial and leadership credentials. Raised in the US, she has worked in the UK and Asia for Cochlear, as well as a recent stint as CEO of an emerging devices company.