The Bonebridge Story

The Bonebridge Story

Our vision

We want to become the most trusted and respected company in orthopaedic trauma. On this journey, we are aware that anyone we love can sustain a fracture tomorrow. That is why we commit to deliver simple and high-quality solutions for fracture care. As a physician-led company, we put fundamental values first and aim to be close to clinical practice.

Meet the Team

The Bonebridge team works hard to implement ideas quickly and to turn clinical solutions into marketable products within a short amount of time. Expertise in the fields of medicine, engineering, quality management, regulatory affairs, and business administration helps the Bonebridge team to constantly reduce complexity in all its processes. We thus remain a company that stays focused and is easily accessible to clinicians.

Team UNITED STATES

Jessie Dionne

Jessie Dionne

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BSc

Executive VP & GM USA

Jessie Dionne joined Bonebridge in 2022 as the Executive Vice President and General Manager USA. He is responsible for all US operations and manages the organization in the US. Jessie started his medical training in the U.S. Army, which included a tour in Afghanistan. Jessie then joined Synthes and developed a passion for orthopedic trauma. A veteran of the medical device sales industry, he has excelled with market leaders such as Johnson & Johnson, Smith & Nephew, Exactech and Nuvasive as well as start-ups like Sig Medical (acquired by Zimmer Biomet). Jessie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Millersville University, PA. He currently lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and two children.

Tessa Kerecman

Tessa Kerecman

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BSc

Associate Sales Consultant

In late 2022, Tessa joined Bonebridge as an Associate Sales Consultant within the US division. In this role, she is responsible for supporting the sales team within the US orthopaedic trauma and extremities market. Prior to joining Bonebridge, she began her professional career working as a surgical support specialist for a small medical device company specializing in spinal implants. Tessa holds a Bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During her time as an undergraduate, she developed a research proposal focusing on the neurobiological rewards linked to endurance running.

Team SWITZERLAND

Kis Baumgartner

Kis Baumgartner

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MA

Head of Supply Chain Management

Since October 2022, Kis has been in charge of procurement and production planning, materials management, as well as purchasing and logistics at Bonebridge. He originally started his career in management consulting in Zurich and Stockholm. In subsequent years, he worked in various leadership positions in global enterprises, small and medium-sized companies, and startups. Kis is passionate about increasing the efficiency and efficacy along the whole supply chain. He possesses in-depth expertise in optimization, automatization, and industrial digitalization as well as the respective procedural, infrastructural, and organizational transformations. He also has long-time experience in global business development, namely expanding into new product categories as well as exploring new procurement and sales markets. Kis holds a Master’s degree in economics from the University of St. Gallen (HSG).

Jorrit Bühlmann

Jorrit Bühlmann

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MSc

Development Engineer

Jorrit joined the Research and Development team at Bonebridge in early 2022. He originally started his professional career at a product development company in Zurich, Switzerland. In that role, he was responsible for running several projects from the initial planning phase to serial production. He also had the opportunity to work with well-known medical device companies. As part of the development team at Bonebridge, he drives the further development of our product portfolio. Jorrit holds a Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich.

Patrick Burki

Patrick Burki

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BSc

CTO, Head of R&D

Patrick joined Bonebridge in early 2019 and manages the Research & Development team. He started his professional career with an apprenticeship in construction and design engineering at Synthes. He then worked as a development engineer in different fields for DePuy Synthes/Mitek Sports Medicine and completed training as a mechanical engineer at the Bern University of Applied Sciences in Burgdorf, Switzerland. He subsequently joined 41medical, a think tank and design & development company that grew out of the former Synthes innovation team. Before joining Bonebridge, he led the Research & Development team at 41medical. He continues a part-time affiliation with 41medical as a development engineer.

Sarah Bürki

Sarah Bürki

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MSc

Head of Clinical Affairs

Sarah has been the Head of Clinical Affairs at Bonebridge since 2021. Sarah originally completed an apprenticeship as a dental technician and worked in the dental industry for several years. After having lived in the United States for two years, she started pursuing a Master’s degree at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland. Sarah continued her post-graduate training by performing clinical research at the Laboratory of Human Nutrition at ETH, focusing on the bioavailability of trace elements and minerals. Sarah subsequently worked for a Swiss consulting company, where she primarily focused on the clinical evaluation of medical devices. She holds a Master of Science degree in health sciences and technology.

Markus Fritschi

Markus Fritschi

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MSc

Head of Sales Switzerland

Markus joined Bonebridge as the Head of Sales Switzerland in 2022. After completing an apprenticeship as an electronics technician, Markus studied movement sciences at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. He subsequently worked as a research assistant in the gait laboratory of the Children's Hospital in St. Gallen as well as in the biomechanics lab at ETH. He accumulated many years of industry experience at Synthes (later Johnson & Johnson) and Zimmer Biomet. In addition to his work in traumatology, he has directly or indirectly served customers in sports medicine, elective foot surgery, biomaterials, power tools, and capital equipment. Markus holds a Master of Science degree in sports biomechanics from ETH as well as a medical technology consultant degree (shqa) from the University of Bern. He lives with his wife and their children in the Zurich Oberland area.

Christof Gerber

Christof Gerber

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MD, MA

CEO and Founder

Christof started his professional career as an economist, working in banking and finance in Zurich, Switzerland. He subsequently received undergraduate medical training at the University of Zurich as well as at the University of Washington’s Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, USA. He went on to complete post-graduate medical training in anesthesiology and emergency medicine in Switzerland and is a Swiss Board certified anesthesiologist. Christof holds a Master’s degree in economics and a doctorate in medicine, both from the University of Zurich, Switzerland. He also completed management programs at INSEAD and at Harvard Business School.

Michelle Gumpelmayer

Michelle Gumpelmayer

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MSc

Head of QM & RA

Michelle has been in charge of quality management and regulatory affairs at Bonebridge since 2020. She is a trained biotechnologist and her academic work focused on the analysis of iron and magnetite nanoparticles in the brain of Alzheimer’s disease patients. Prior to joining Bonebridge, Michelle worked in quality management and regulatory affairs for several other medical device manufacturers in Switzerland. Michelle holds a Master of Science degree in biotechnology from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) in Vienna, Austria. She completed her master’s thesis at the Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination (LCC) at the University of Toulouse, France.

Alexander Häusler

Alexander Häusler

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MA

CFO and Founder

Alex has gained experience in various industries. He started his career working for two fast-growing startups in the fashion industry – VIU Ventures AG, based in Zurich, Switzerland, and AMARO, based in São Paulo, Brazil. Alex then held different positions at UBS in Zurich, focusing mainly on data analysis in operational risk. He subsequently moved on to work for of a small Swiss venture capital company which invested mainly in early stage MedTech ventures. He soon discovered his interest for the fascinating world at the frontier of medicine, research and business and decided to co-found Bonebridge in 2018. Alex has a Master’s degree in economics from the University of St. Gallen (HSG).

Sara Probst

Sara Probst

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MA

Head of Communications

As part of Bonebridge’s Marketing team, Sara plans and executes various marketing and communication activities and writes content for digital and analog channels. She originally started her career as a research associate in executive search. Since then, she has worked as an editor, copywriter, and communication manager for international enterprises, small and medium-sized companies, and NPOs. She holds a Master of Arts degree in English linguistics, American literature and education from the University of Bern, Switzerland and also completed a CAS Corporate Writer at Schweizerische Textakademie.

Mélanie Zemp

Mélanie Zemp

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BSc

Business Intelligence Specialist

Mélanie started her professional career in 2021 with an internship at Bonebridge and has been part of the team ever since. In her part-time role, she oversees Bonebridge’s data management, is responsible for the generation, preparation and analysis of data, and works closely with the members of the management team. Mélanie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in health sciences and technology and is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in biomedical engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. She is an active clarinetist.

Board of directors

Christian Gerber

Christian Gerber

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MD, FRCS Ed. (hon)

Chairman of the Board

Christian Gerber, MD, co-founded Bonebridge in 2018. He is an orthopaedic surgeon, scientist and medical teacher. Dr. Gerber is known for his extensive work on traumatic and atraumatic pathologies of the shoulder. He is the former Professor and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. He has authored over 400 scientific articles and has received numerous awards for his contributions to the field of orthopaedics, including the Neer Awards of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons on four occasions, the Kappa Delta OREF Clinical Research Award of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and the Orthopaedic Research Society’s Arthur Steindler Award. Dr. Gerber holds a doctorate in medicine (MD) from the University of Bern, Switzerland and is a Professor emeritus at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. He is an honorary member of the Swiss Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (Swissorthopaedics) as well as an honorary member of the French Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (SOFCOT). He is an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh.

Christoph Bangerter

Christoph Bangerter

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MD

Member of the Board

Christoph Bangerter, MD, joined Bonebridge as Member of the Board of Directors in 2019. Dr. Bangerter practiced medicine as a general practitioner before joining the management of Galenica Group in Switzerland. He assumed responsibility for integration of electronic solutions such as Documed into the Galenica group of companies. He then moved on to join the Executive Management Board of KPT Health Insurance Group in Switzerland. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of KPT Health Insurance Group in 2008 and remained in office until his retirement in 2014. Dr. Bangerter serves as a Board Member of several small to medium-sized Swiss companies primarily in the healthcare industry. Dr. Bangerter holds a doctorate in medicine (MD) of the University of Bern, Switzerland. He completed various management programs, including the Program for Executive Development at IMD Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Eric Lohrer

Eric Lohrer

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MA, MBA

Member of the Board

Eric Lohrer joined the Bonebridge Board of Directors in June 2022. He started his professional career as a financial analyst with Credit Suisse First Boston in New York, USA. In 2004, he joined Synthes in the US (now Johnson&Johnson) as a Product Manager in the spine division. From 2005 to 2006, he served as the assistant to the CEO of Synthes and was subsequently entrusted with the reorganization of the Korean market. He lived with his family in Korea for two years before returning to California to work as a Sales Consultant and subsequently as a Regional Sales Manager Spine for Synthes. He ended his 10-year tenure at Synthes in 2014 as the Director of Extremities EMEA. Since 2014, Eric Lohrer has been managing a global family office with main offices in Zurich and Boston. He holds a Master's degree in economics from the University of St.Gallen, Switzerland and an MBA from Harvard Business School in Boston, USA.

Manuel Thomke

Manuel Thomke

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Member of the Board

Manuel Thomke joined Bonebridge as a Member of the Board of Directors in 2019. He started his professional career at the International School for Hotel Management in Lucerne, Switzerland. After graduation, he founded several highly successful start-ups in the hotel and restaurant business and remains an active investor and entrepreneur. He holds several mandates in the hotel/restaurant industry as well as in real estate and medical technology sectors.

History

Bonebridge was founded in Switzerland in 2018 by a group of clinicians and can draw on the broad expertise of its stakeholders. Originally a two-employee operation, the company achieved CE marking of its first product, the SALGINA 2.5mm Distal Radius System, within one year.

Shortly thereafter, six more Bonebridge osteosynthesis system (including solutions for clavicle, proximal humerus, and tibial plateau fractures) were approved in Switzerland and successfully brought to market. The team has grown substantially since its beginnings and is now equipped with the expertise and skills required to further develop Bonebridge into a respected and trusted international medical device company. Since 2022 Bonebridge has been represented in the United States through its subsidiary Bonebridge Inc. and is serving the US trauma market with the same values, dedication and commitment as in Switzerland.