Following Sandy Brandmeier's retirement at the end of 2024, Sonova has officially announced Nicholai Dessypris as the company's new President of Hearing Instruments (HI) Wholesale, North America. Sonova, with U.S. headquarters in Aurora, Ill, and world headquarters in Stäfa, Switzerland, is the largest hearing aid manufacturer in the world and the parent group of Phonak and Unitron.

With 15 years of experience in healthcare, MedTech, and IT industries, Nicholai Dessypris has held several leadership roles at GE Healthcare, including Vice President of Patient Monitoring. Most recently, he served as General Manager and Vice President at LifeScan (North America). Joining Sonova in November 2024, he has worked closely with Brandmeier during a transition period to ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities.

Brandmeier served for six years as Sonova's President of Hearing Instruments in North America, helping guide the company through turbulence but also solid growth as disruptive forces, from COVID-19 to over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, challenged the industry. During this time, Phonak and Unitron introduced several successful product lines, including Phonak Paradise, Lumity, and Infinio, and Unitron Blu and Vivante.

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“I am honored to join Sonova and build on the strong foundation established under Sandy's leadership,” said Dessypris in a press statement. “Sonova’s commitment to innovation and customer-centric approach inspires me, and I am thrilled to lead the North American team in advancing hearing health and delivering impactful solutions to our customers and their patients.”

“Nicholai’s extensive experience and deep understanding of the MedTech industry and US market make him an ideal leader for this position,” said Group Vice President Hearing Instruments Robert Woolley.  “We are excited to see how his leadership will continue to drive growth and innovation in this key region for Sonova.”

“We also want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Sandy for her exceptional leadership and focus on achieving outstanding business results,” continued Woolley. “Her dedication to fostering a culture of excellence has significantly contributed to Sonova's success and leaves a lasting legacy.”