Professional Background

With over 15 years of extensive experience in the cardiovascular, aortic and neurovascular MedTech space, Rafal W. Lopallo is a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and CEO at BALMED S.r.l. (Group holding) . His career began with notable contributions to product and international sales development at BALTON® (Warsaw, Poland), a leading EU MedTech company and a sister company of BALT® (Paris, France).

Founding Balmed S.r.l.

In 2013, Rafal founded BALMED S.r.l. in Milan, Italy. Today, the company operates as a group in Italy, Poland, and Switzerland, dedicated to launching specialized MedTech products into the market and driving modular growth distribution.

Expertise and Achievements

Rafal’s expertise spans several key areas:

• Structural Heart,  Cardiovascular, Aortic, Neurovascular Business Development: Building and managing business relationships, identifying key opinion leaders and strategic suppliers, and driving company and division growth.
• Market Strategy: From initial product awareness to achieving significant market share, Rafal excels in market launches and growth strategies.
• Product Co-development: Collaborating on new product development, particularly in structural heart, interventional cardiology, and the aortic and neurovascular spaces.
• Investments and Finance: Planning company investments, managing finance, and talent acquisition.

Among his notable achievements are:

• Valver: Co-developing with Balton one of the leading TAVI pre and post-dilatation balloon catheters.
• MemoPart Occluders: Strategizing and organizing the market launch and growth distribution for PFO and ASD occluders with ongoing product registries.
• TricValve: Leading the therapy development and product launch of Bi-caval SVC and IVC CAVI therapy valves for severe tricuspid regurgitation.
• Aortic Portfolio: Launching an aortic portfolio and introducing TAA/TBAD and AAA devices of Percutek, and delivering Braile Biomedica custom-made aortic stent-graft BEVAR/FEVAR solutions within a 30-day supply chain turnaround.

Rafal actively participates in prestigious congresses and courses including TCT, CSI, PCR, PICS, ESVS, ESMINT, GISE, and WCCI.

Rafal holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) from the International University of Monaco (EHDEC Business School). Rafal’s leadership and vision continue to propel Balmed Group to new heights in the MedTech industry. Under his guidance, the company remains at the forefront of innovation and patient care, consistently driving advancements in cardiovascular, aortic, and neurovascular medical technology. Balmed Group’s success is a testament to Rafal’s dedication to improving patient outcomes through innovative solutions and strategic growth.

Giorgio Oddone brings over 40 years of unparalleled experience in the European cardiovascular and aortic markets to his role as General Manager at Balmed Group. Having started his career as a Product Specialist at Cordis Johnson & Johnson, Giorgio quickly climbed the ranks, playing a pivotal role in the launch of groundbreaking products such as the Cypher DES stent and the peripheral Smart stent.

Following his successful tenure at Cordis, Giorgio moved to Cook Medical, a leading multinational in the peripheral and aortic space. He further honed his expertise by working with mid-size medical distribution companies, including Movi SpA and Acilia S.r.l, where he significantly contributed to the product launch and growth distribution of Cardionovum DEB and Microport stent-grafts.

Currently, Giorgio oversees Balmed Group’s cardiovascular, aortic, and neurovascular portfolios. His responsibilities include managing sales and clinical teams, finance, hiring, and supplier management. Giorgio’s extensive experience enables him to effectively execute the following tasks:

• Developing and managing sales networks, including direct reports, agents, and distributors
• Creating and implementing strategic marketing and business plans
• Fostering a results-oriented environment for the sales force
• Building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders and key opinion leaders (KOLs)
• Providing financial oversight and control

At Balmed, Giorgio is responsible for the sales and marketing of an array of innovative products, including:

• PFO/ASD MemoPart closure devices
• TAVI pre-post dilatation balloon catheter Valver
• DES dedicated to coronary bifurcations treatment Bioss Lim C
• Carotid stenting Mer with neuroprotection system Robin
• SFA and popliteal braided stent Jaguar
• Angio-FFR and AMR AngioPlus
• CT-FFR CtaPlus
• Percutek AAA and TAA/TBAD stent-grafts
• Neurovascular flow-diverters Divert

Giorgio’s background includes studies in finance and healthcare at Bocconi University, which further equips him with the skills needed to lead Balmed Group toward continued growth and innovation.

Alessio Baratto began his career in 2010 as a legal counsel specializing in both corporate and civil law. Over the years, he broadened his expertise to include corporate guarantees and Unipol tender insurances. In 2015, Alessio became a professional mediator registered with the Tribunal of Naples, where he honed his skills in conflict resolution.

In 2016, Alessio joined Balmed S.r.l. as a legal counsel. His keen legal and administrative prowess significantly contributed to structuring the company’s administrative, legal, and compliance operations. Recognizing his dedication and expertise, Balmed Group appointed him as the Administrative & Legal Director in 2022.

Key Responsibilities at Balmed Group:

• Strategic Operations and Administration: Overseeing both daily and strategic planning and administration.
• General Legal Counsel: Ensuring the company’s compliance with Italian and MDR requirements, and collaborating with other professionals and advisors.
• Team Management: Leading the Supply Chain and Tender office teams.
• Financial Reporting: Managing the company’s financial reporting processes.
• High-Level Communication: Coordinating with the Accountant, Labor Specialist, General Manager, CEO, suppliers, clients, and stakeholders.
• Recruitment: Managing the hiring process.
• Credit Collection and Management: Overseeing the company’s credit collection and management strategies.
• CEO Council: Providing strategic counsel to the CEO.

Alessio has been a member of the Naples Bar Association since 2010. His early contributions have been pivotal to Balmed Group’s ongoing success.

Natalia Skrzyniarz leads Balmed Poland with a unique blend of legal acumen and industry expertise. As a General Counsel attorney, she has over a decade of experience navigating the complexities of regulated business domains.

Natalia began her career at Cyfrowy Polsat S.A., one of Poland’s largest telecommunications providers. Here, she ensured regulatory compliance for large-scale operations and managed a broad spectrum of commercial contracts. Her ability to handle complex legal landscapes and business affairs was honed during this period, setting the stage for her future roles.

In 2019, Natalia shifted her focus to the MedTech industry, immersing herself in the nuances of R&D and medical device distribution. By 2023, she had ascended to the role of CEO at Balmed Poland Sp. z o.o., a medical distributor specializing in innovative cardiovascular solutions. Under her leadership, the company has thrived, thanks to her commitment to fostering an innovation-friendly environment while maintaining strict regulatory compliance.

Natalia’s responsibilities include overseeing company administration, managing tenders, handling national and international agreements, supply chain management, communications with public administrations, IP, trademarks, and ensuring legal compliance. Her robust legal foundation, built with a law degree from the University of Warsaw and further enriched by the BLC course, equips her with advanced cross-border business and legal insights.

Admitted to the Warsaw Bar Association in 2019, Natalia’s legal counsel application marked a significant milestone in her career. Her combination of legal expertise and industry-specific knowledge drives Balmed Poland’s growth in the medical distribution field.

With nearly 20 years of experience in the medical industry, Piotr Szkutnik brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role as Sales & Marketing Director at BALMED Poland Sp. z o.o.

Piotr’s career began at Johnson & Johnson Poland Sp. z o.o. (Cordis), where he served as a Sales Representative for endovascular and neurovascular devices. His exceptional performance paved the way for his next role at ProCardia Medical Sp. z o.o. Here, he advanced from Territory Sales Manager to Peripheral Division Sales Manager, overseeing sales and marketing for endovascular, neurovascular, and aortic devices.

Following his successful tenure at ProCardia, Piotr joined Boston Scientific Poland Sp. z o.o. as Sales Manager for Peripheral Interventions. In this position, he was responsible for managing a vascular product line in Poland, leading a team of three direct reports, and achieving a turnover of approximately 5 million euros. His leadership skills and strategic vision led to his promotion to Regional Sales Manager for Poland & Ukraine, where he managed a sales team in Poland, coordinated with two distributor companies in Ukraine, and supported sales initiatives in Russia. In this role, Piotr had 19 direct reports and was responsible for a turnover of around 30 million euros.

After his successful stint at Boston Scientific, Piotr took on the role of Managing Director at Hammermed, a Polish distribution company representing Cook Medical and Bentley Medical. He led a team of 50 people, including five direct reports, and managed a turnover of approximately 50 million euros.

In 2024, Piotr joined Balmed Poland, where he leverages his extensive multinational experience and entrepreneurial spirit to drive sales and marketing initiatives. His mission at Balmed is to boost sales within the company’s portfolio while aligning with the company’s mission and maximizing team potential.

Piotr holds a Master of Entrepreneurship and Management from Kozminsky University in Warsaw.

Jarek is the Therapy Development Manager at Balmed Poland Sp. z o.o. With nearly two decades of experience in clinical support, medical device introduction, and therapy development, Jarek brings a wealth of expertise to our team.

Jarek’s career began at ProCardia Medical Sp. z o.o., where he specialized in invasive cardiology and peripheral interventions. His key responsibilities included product and clinical support for several high-profile devices such as:

• Impella from Abiomed
• Asahi Intecc guide wires (PTA and PTCA)
• AngioJet & Jetstream by Medrad – Bayer
• CRE8 DES by Alvimedica
• Merit Medical diagnostic/embolization portfolio

He was instrumental in supporting the first mechanical thrombectomy case for pulmonary emboli in Poland and establishing Asahi guide wires as the gold standard in coronary CTO treatment. His efforts also led to the widespread adoption of the Asahi SheathLess catheter for radial access procedures.

Jarek then joined Boston Scientific Poland as a Senior Field Clinical Specialist CRM. Here, he introduced the S-ICD (Subcutaneous Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator) to the Polish market and elevated the BSCI devices as the first-choice therapeutic methods in a competitive environment.

In his subsequent role at Hammermed, a distributor for Cook Medical and Bentley, Jarek served as a Clinical Specialist and later as a Senior Clinical Specialist for Aortic Interventions. He was responsible for TAA and AAA planning and sizing and provided cath-lab clinical case support. Jarek supported over 250 procedures for thoracoabdominal aneurysms using Cook T-Branch and numerous other aorta aneurysm and dissection treatments with devices from Cook and Bentley Medical.

At Balmed, Jarek holds the position of Therapy Development Manager for Aortic and Structural Heart. He supports physicians in the operating room and contributes to therapy development for products such as:

• Structural Heart: Bi-caval CAVI transcatheter SVC and IVC valves for severe tricuspid regurgitation (TricValve from Products & Features GmbH), PFO and ASD closure devices (MemoPart from Lepu Medical Holding)
• Aortic: TAA and AAA Percutek stent-graft endoprostheses, Juxtarenal and thoraco-abdominal custom-made endoprostheses (Braile Biomedica)
• Interventional Cardiology: Angio-FFR/AMR AngioPlus and CT-FFR CtaPlus systems (Pulse Medical)

Jarek graduated with a Master’s degree in European Studies from Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznań and a Master’s degree in International Business and Law from Aarhus School of Business, Denmark. He possesses thorough knowledge of the medical devices market in Poland and has expert knowledge in Invasive Cardiology, Radiology, Vascular Surgery, and Electrophysiology.

Jarek’s extensive experience and deep understanding of medical devices and procedures ensure that Balmed Poland remains at the forefront of medical innovation and patient care.

Paolo Meggiorin brings over 25 years of clinical experience in cardiovascular cath-lab departments to his role as Therapy Development Manager at Balmed S.r.l.

Paolo’s career began in 1999 as a hemodynamics department nurse. Over the course of 15 years, he gained invaluable experience at several prominent hospitals in the Lombardy region, including Centro Cardiologico Monzino, Humanitas Rozzano University Hospital, IRCCS Multimedia Hospital, and Niguarda Hospital.

In 2018, leveraging his extensive clinical and procedural support experience, Paolo transitioned to a product management role at Endotech Spa, a medical distribution company. He later joined Gada Group, where he oversaw national-level products in the Structural Cardiology department for Gada Italia. His portfolio included notable products like Acurate Neo TAVI from Boston Scientific, Reducer device to treat refractory angina from Neovasc, and various other advanced cardiovascular tools and devices.

At Balmed, Paolo’s responsibilities as Therapy Development Manager in Interventional Cardiology and Structural Heart include:

• Leading therapy development initiatives
• Conducting educational hands-on workshops and maintaining product registries
• Identifying new therapy development opportunities

Paolo manages a range of products in North Italy, ensuring they best clinical use performance:

• PFO/ASD MemoPart closure devices
• TAVI pre-post dilatation balloon catheter Valver
• DES dedicated to coronary bifurcation treatment Bioss Lim C
• Carotid stenting Mer with neuroprotection system Robin
• SFA and popliteal braided stent Jaguar
• Angio-FFR and AMR AngioPlus
• CT-FFR CtaPlus

Paolo holds a professional diploma in nursing from Niguarda Hospital and has completed an HTA & Value-Based Healthcare course at SDA Bocconi, Milan.

Working with a strong team and clinically high-performing products from Balmed’s portfolio gives Paolo the confidence to deliver the best therapy solutions for patients. His dedication to education and continuous improvement allows him to elevate his skills and contribute meaningfully to the field of interventional cardiology and structural heart therapy.

Dennis is a highly skilled and dedicated Cardiocirculatory Physiopathology and Cardiovascular Perfusion technician. Graduating with top honors from the prestigious Federico II University in Naples, Dennis has consistently demonstrated his expertise and commitment to the field.

For the past three years, Dennis has been making significant contributions as a Junior and then Senior Product and Sales Specialist at Balmed, where he currently covers the central and southern regions of Italy. In this role, Dennis is instrumental in therapy development and provides essential technical and clinical support to healthcare professionals. His responsibilities include offering technical assistance and guidance on the optimal use of Balmed’s products, ensuring that clients are well-informed and able to utilize these devices effectively.

Dennis’s role also involves overseeing the technical documentation of products, including instructions for use and tender documents. His comprehensive understanding of the product portfolio allows him to deliver precise and valuable information to his clients.

Product Portfolio Expertise

Dennis is responsible for an extensive range of products clinical support, including:

• PFO/ASD MemoPart closure devices
• TAVI pre-post dilatation balloon catheter Valver
• DES dedicated to coronary bifurcation treatment Bioss Lim C
• Carotid stenting Mer with neuroprotection system Robin
• SFA and popliteal braided stent Jaguar
• Angio-FFR and AMR AngioPlus
• CT-FFR CtaPlus

Dennis’s academic background, combined with his experience in product and sales management, equips him with the skills necessary to perform his job with excellence. He remains committed to staying informed about the latest advancements in his field to provide accurate and up-to-date information to his clients.

With his dedication to professional growth and his unwavering commitment to supporting healthcare professionals, Dennis continues to be an invaluable asset to Balmed and the clients he serves.

Chiara is a dynamic professional specialized in the administration, customer service, and logistics of MedTech companies. With a unique background in linguistic and humanistic studies, she brings a distinctive perspective to her role at Balmed Srl. Her expertise significantly enhances her abilities in communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

Role at Balmed Srl

• Administrative Management: Chiara ensures that all administrative processes run smoothly and efficiently. She’s responsible for handling documentation, coordinating between departments, and generating financial reports.
• Customer Service: With substantial experience in customer service, Chiara effectively addresses client needs and concerns. She fosters strong relationships with both private and public hospitals, as well as private trading partners, ensuring high levels of client satisfaction.
• Supply Chain Operations:
• Procurement and Logistics: Oversees procurement, logistics, and daily contacts with suppliers in Europe, the US, and China.
• Warehouse and Packaging: Manages warehouse operations and packaging processes to ensure timely and cost-effective operations.
• Inventory Management: Meticulously overlooks inventory to ensure seamless supply chain operations.

Skills and Expertise

• Communication and Coordination: Leveraging her educational background, Chiara excels in clear communication and effective coordination across multiple departments.
• Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: Her training has equipped her with strong critical thinking skills, enabling her to tackle challenges proactively.
• Organizational Skills: Chiara’s role demands exceptional attention to detail and organizational prowess, which she consistently demonstrates.
• Adaptability: In a constantly changing environment, Chiara’s ability to adapt and maintain efficient operations is invaluable.

At Balmed Srl, Chiara is dedicated to supporting the company’s mission of innovation and excellence in the MedTech field. Her proactive approach and comprehensive management skills significantly contribute to the company’s growth and success.