Robert E. Grant on Entrepreneurship

Winter Quarter 2009 Entrepreneurship Seminar Series

Featuring Robert E. Grant
President
Allergan Medical

Location: McDonnell Douglas Engineering Auditorium
Free and open to the public

The Entrepreneurship Seminar Series provides a real-world introduction to the theory and practice of entrepreneurship.  Through a series of presentations by prestigious entrepreneurs and industry leaders, participants will explore the various organizational, strategic and financial challenges facing successful and unsuccessful entrepreneurs.  Topics include start-up strategies, business idea evaluation, business plan writing, and introduction to venture capital.

For a complete listing of Entrepreneurship Seminar Series guest speakers, please visit http://www.eng.uci.edu/events/entseminars.

About the Speaker:
Robert E. Grant, 39, joined Allergan, Inc. as president of Allergan Medical in May of 2006.  He played a central role in leading the merger integration following the $3.2 billion acquisition of Inamed.  During his tenure at Allergan Medical, Grant has worked to mainstream his division’s products and technologies (BOTOX Cosmetic, Juvederm, Natrelle breast implants, and LAP-BAND) across the medical rejuvenation industry.  Today, Allergan Medical leads the multi-billion dollar category by combining its unique direct to consumer (DTC) advertising expertise, professional marketing strategies and continuous innovation and research discovery.
 
Previously Grant served as a director, chairman of the board, president and CEO of BIOLASE Technology, Inc., a publicly traded Cosmetic Dentistry company (Irvine, CA).  At BIOLASE, Grant led a successful turnaround of the medtech manufacturer.  He originally joined BIOLASE Technology in 2003 as COO and CFO. 
 
From 1997 through 2003, Grant held many senior management positions at Lumenis, Inc., (Santa Clara, CA, formerly Coherent Medical Group), including EVP and general manager of the Global Ophthalmic Surgical Business, VP of business development and managing director of European Operations (based in Dieburg, Germany).  During his tenure, he led several successful product launches, achieved a financial turnaround of the European Operations, adeptly integrated HGM, Inc, executed a co-promotion alliance with Boston Scientific’s Urology Division, and launched Wavelight AG refractive laser products into global markets.
 
Before 1997, Grant held several other management and leadership positions including general manager, Australasia, director of marketing, Asia Pacific, and country manager, Japan, for such medical device manufacturers such as Sulzer Medica AG (Switzerland), and The Nucleus Group of Pacific Dunlop Ltd (Australia).
 
Grant currently serves on several boards.  He is an independent board director at Acufocus, Inc., a Carlyle Group and Versant Ventures-backed clinical stage ophthalmic device company.  Additionally, He sits on the boards of the following organizations: University of California, Irvine (UCI) Henry Samueli School of Engineering (Biomedical Engineering Department), OCTANe (501-C3 non-profit entity) an economic development corporation for technology companies in Orange County, California), and the Young President’s Organization (YPO/WPO) Southern California Chapter.  Additionally, Grant currently sits as an industry representative to the Corporate Leadership Council for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and formerly in the same capacity to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.  He serves as one of ten Judges for the Orange County “Entrepreneur of the Year 2009” annual competition conducted by Ernst and Young.  Furthermore, Grant is also a corporate advisor to both McKinsey and Company and the Monitor Group’s Worknet council.

Grant holds a BA from Brigham Young University and an MBA (graduating with Honors) from Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management.  Additionally, he has attended the President’s Seminar at Harvard Business School.  He has lived and worked in nine countries and speaks Japanese, French, Korean and German fluently.