Agnès Rey-Giraud(Chief Executive Officer) is responsible for corporate strategy, corporate finance and business development at Acera Surgical, Inc. Agnès recently retired from Express Scripts, Inc., where she served as President of International Operations. Agnès joined Express Scripts in 1999, and quickly became a driving force behind many of the company’s key strategic initiatives and an influential player in the transformation of the company from a $4 billion enterprise to a $44 billion enterprise. In her most recent role as President, International Operations, Agnès led the company’s movement into Asia. Agnès earned a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Ecole Nationale d’Ingénieurs de Saint Etienne and a Master of Management in Operations Management from Ecole de Management de Lyon, both in France, as well as an MBA from the University of Chicago. Among numerous other awards and accolades, she is a 2011 St. Louis Business Journal Most Influential St. Louisan and a 2009 St. Louis YWCA Leader of Distinction.

Acera Surgical, Inc. is a medical device company located in St. Louis, MO producing a first-in-class line of implantable nanofabricated surgical materials and related tools/accessories.

I chose this career path after retiring from healthcare. When I was mentoring at Washington University and working with a student in the graduate program, I saw an opportunity and so Acera Surgical was born. We manufacture and market implantable electro spun neurosurgical meshes and related tools.

I prepared for this career by obtaining three Master Degrees. Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, my MBA from the University of Chicago, and another Master Degree in Operations Management as well as a Bachelors Degree in Engineering.

There were many challenges that I have overcome.

My greatest strength is that I am a strategic thinker and have the ability to pull teams together.

My greatest accomplishment to date is surviving cancer.

My professional goals are to take Acera Surgical global and add many products to the portfolio.

My inspiration comes from people. I find them interesting and knowing that I can help and make a difference validates what I do and why.

I have been recognized by the YWCA as business leader of the year.

I support he Sando-Avenir charity in Napal.

I enjoy travelling, exercising and golf.