Getting Down to Business

In December, Johnson & Johnson Vision – a global leader in eye health – announced that Warren Foust will assume the role of Worldwide President, Surgical, effective December 2. Foust replaced Tom Frinzi, who retired at the end of 2019, after a 35-year career in ophthalmology. We met with Foust, a couple of months into his new role, to find out what the future holds for Johnson & Johnson Vision under his leadership.

First of all, congratulations! How are you finding the new position?

Things are going nicely, thank you! I’ve had a hugely warm welcome, both from the ophthalmic community and here in Santa Ana [where Johnson & Johnson offices are based], and I’m looking forward to spending even more time with customers as we go on.

Tom Frinzi was a big figure in the industry. Was it daunting to step into his shoes?

Tom is actually part of the reason why things got off to such a good start here. I had the unique opportunity to spend a month with him behind the scenes, getting to know him as a person and understanding the business through his eyes. So, to answer your question, I would say it was not daunting because Tom was so helpful – thanks to him, I received a great introduction and initiation into the ophthalmic community. He was, and continues to be, a great help.

What words of advice did he pass on?

Just “be yourself.” Be authentic and transparent; seek advice and counsel, which is what we’ll be doing through our internal kickoff meetings and town halls and by connecting with customers. We both share the belief that it is important for our teams and customers across the world to know they have a place to share their thoughts. And that is something I’ve taken to heart.

For those who do not know you, how would you introduce yourself?

I take a lot of pride in being family-oriented, so I would introduce myself as a father and a husband first. I have a wonderful six-year-old boy and a four-and-a-half-year-old daughter. My wife Stacy and I have had a lot of wonderful experiences together over the last 12 years. We relocated six times from Alabama to Tampa to Baltimore to West Chester, Pennsylvania – then a couple of times within California. It’s been a busy decade, but she’s been with me through it all. I put a lot of emphasis on family and how we support and communicate with one another, and hold each other accountable – that’s something I take with me into the Johnson & Johnson work family.

Johnson & Johnson sounds like quite a unique work environment...

It is really lovely, in part, because we live by Our Credo. It’s not just words written on the wall, it’s a mentality – one that differentiates us from other companies. It’s something our employees relish being part of and why I, for one, am so excited to be part of the organization.

You set out to visit customers in every region during your first 100 days – how is it going?

It has been very insightful so far! I’ve had the chance to hear about some of the challenges and opportunities facing our customers. I went to Malaysia for our Asia-Pacific meeting, and Madrid for the European kickoff a few weeks ago. The U.S. meeting is this week, Canada is next, and I will be heading to Brazil in the middle of the first quarter for the Latin American kickoff, which will round out the trip.

Have you noticed that your customer needs vary by location?

There are certainly some regional and even local differences – for example, on the refractive side, lenticular removal versus excimer – but, generally, our customers want the same thing wherever they are, and that’s transformational innovation in eye health and eye care.

You’ve got lots of experience in the orthopedic area – how does ophthalmology compare?

I love it – the customers are fantastic. I spent a couple of decades in specialty surgical medical devices; for example, in trauma, aesthetics and plastic surgery. There is something very unique about the relationship we had in that world, where you have independent business people working to drive outcomes, and drive patients to their practices. I see parallels there with the ophthalmology community, and that is something that will hopefully be helpful in building relationships in the future.

Speaking of the future, what is your vision?

When looking at the future, it is important that we honor the past. Tom and the team did a wonderful job establishing Johnson & Johnson’s position for the future, and I want to make sure I do the right thing from a resource and execution standpoint to carry those plans forward. From an internal perspective, I will use our kickoff meetings to connect with our regional teams. I will also use the upcoming industry meetings to gain insight and understanding from our customers and see what we need to do to meet their needs. Of course, our long-term plan is to continue executing the projects that are most needed by our customers and make a difference to eye health overall.

And so, the number one aim for me is to get to know our customers’ wants and needs. We don’t come up with ideas sitting in meetings, we get them by meeting our customers and finding out what they need to make a difference.

How much time do you spend on the road?

The majority of it! I’ve spent very little time in the office over the last few weeks. I spend the best part of my day connecting with customers, whether that is here in our offices, on the telephone or out on the road.

What new ground would you like to break?

There are places where we’re trying to increase our presence – for example, we’d like to be more relevant in certain emerging markets – but it would be hard to find a place where we’re not making a difference, either from a commercial or philanthropic perspective. Expanding access to patients is a key focus for us. We currently work with the Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP) | Cure Blindness to expand the wonder of eye health through world-class eye care, clinical training and ophthalmic infrastructure in underserved communities across South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. It is an important partnership and one of our longest-running. We also work with Lions Clubs International Foundation’s Sight for Kids organization that mobilizes ECPs and volunteers in five countries to conduct vision screenings in low-income schools.

You mentioned the Johnson & Johnson legacy – how important is that to you?

I understand the importance of the history that we have here, and I want to be respectful that our focus is in the right place. We are an industry leader in surgical ophthalmology, with a strong heritage of innovation and industry firsts. But we want to use our heritage to power our future – along with our goal of changing the trajectory of eye health worldwide. We believe we’re in a unique position to do so – in large part due to the breadth and depth of our offering across the Johnson & Johnson enterprise, driven by Our Credo, which guides everything we do.

Ultimately, heritage is important, but connecting with customers to solve patients’ unmet needs is how we build on our heritage to drive the future – so that’s what we’re going to do. I want people to know I’m here to listen and I’m excited for what we’re going to build together.