Nikki Hafezi

Hafezi is Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of GroupAdvance – a fundraising and business development service provider – and EMAGine – developer and manufacturer of ophthalmic medical products. She is also in charge of business strategy and development at a new eye hospital and research center in Zurich, the ELZA institute. “Currently, my career focus is to help translate research on CXL technology to treat infectious keratitis into clinical applications,” she says. She predicts that PACK-CXL will create a paradigm shift in treating eye infection, especially in developing countries, and she’s hoping to lead a team to translate the technology to clinical application for treating infections beyond ophthalmology. Her advice for getting ahead? “Diversify your skill set. Identify and strengthen your talents. Pursue your interests. No one wants “just” a clinician.”

A nominator said: “I have experienced Hafezi’s influential way of doing business with researchers, clinicians and industry alike. With her deep understanding of intellectual property and industry relations, Nikki Hafezi is an asset to her company since these aspects are usually confusing to most clinicians and scientists.”

Part of the Power List 2015

In 2014, we compiled a list of the Top 100 most influential people in ophthalmology – an endeavor that received a significant amount of attention and, it’s fair to say, caused more than a little controversy. For our 2015 Top 40 Under 40 list we’ve taken a different approach, asking: who are the young, up-and-coming individuals set to rise to the top of their field? That’s the question we posed to ourselves – and then to you – ahead of open nominations and a painstaking judging process. Our list this year almost halves the average age of the celebrated individuals, with many of them born in the same year as the iconic Sex Pistols cover – 1977. Though we admit that no list of this type can be definitive, it does clearly show that the future of ophthalmology is very bright indeed. And so, without further ado, we celebrate the movers and shakers aged 40 or under who show what can be achieved with determination, passion and inspiration.

Go to The Power List 2015