(PRESS RELEASE) PINELLAS PARK, FL – Transitions Optical has named Brian O’Neill as global vice president, innovation, technology and operations. His role is to create and deliver on an innovative vision for the photochromic category, driving the growth long term, and sustaining Transitions Optical as the leader of photochromic technology. O’Neill will focus on designing and forging the roadmap for innovation, technology and supply chain.
Before joining Transitions Optical, O’Neill worked at Abbott Laboratories, where he was the Global Head of Innovation and External Collaboration in the company’s pharmaceuticals division. He has also held a variety of senior-level positions across multiple organizations through his career including being the global head of life sciences at Enterprise Ireland, an Irish government agency and one of Europe’s leading seed investors, and vice president of Biopharma at the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. O’Neill also worked as a business development manager and senior scientist at Genable Technologies, a university-spin out company which was co-founded from his PhD (which was acquired by Spark Therapeutics in 2016).
O’Neill earned a bachelor of science degree from NUI Galway, Ireland, a PhD in human ocular genetics from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, and an MBA from the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business at University College Dublin, Ireland.
He takes on many of the responsibilities held by past President and Chief Innovation Officer Paddy McDermott, prior to his retirement in March.