• Jonathan Wecker has been named CEO of the American Institute of Gastric Banding (AIGB; Richardson, Texas). Prior to joining AIGB, Wecker spent seven years managing healthcare investments for Sankaty Advisors. AIGB and True Results together form a group of physicians, healthcare professionals, aftercare specialists, surgical centers and support resources dedicated to the comprehensive treatment and care of the Lap-Band surgery patient.

• Alcon (Huenenberg, Switzerland) said Gerald Cagle, PhD, senior VP of research and development and chief scientific officer, will be retiring from the company on June 30. Sabri Markabi, MD, currently VP, head of development franchise at Novartis Global Development, will succeed Cagle and join the company as senior VP of research and development on March 27. Cagle took over management of the R&D organization and was named as senior vice president in 1997. Markabi joined Ciba-Geigy, one of the parent companies of Novartis, as a clinical research physician. Alcon is an eye care company.

• Robert LaRoche was named VP of global marketing of Candela (Wayland, Massachusetts). Most recently, LaRoche was VP of marketing and sales at InfraReDx. Candela makes clinical solutions that enable physicians, surgeons, and personal care practitioners to treat selected cosmetic and medical conditions using lasers, aesthetic laser systems, and other advanced technologies.

• Karan Bhatia has been named VP & senior counsel, international law and policy, for GE (Fairfield, Connecticut). Bhatia has served in senior policy and legal positions in government and in private practice, most recently as deputy U.S. trade representative in the Office of the United States Trade Representative.