In a career that has spanned more than 20 years, Bill Hawkins has worked for a wide array of medical device firms, leaving his imprint on this industry. Now, as Medtronic's COO, his influence will only grow. In this interview, Hawkins talks about the history of the device industry and what lies ahead.

At a time when the US industry is undergoing perhaps its most serious crisis of leadership and confidence, it was appropriate that Bill George, former chairman and CEO of Medtronic was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award at this year's Phoenix Medical Device and Diagnostic conference for CEOs, sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Versant Ventures, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, and Windhover Information. Honoring Bill George at this particular time is propitious because George has spent his career promoting the importance of individual values and responsibility in corporate leadership, and has just published "Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value," a book that defines the qualities he considers essential attributes for corporate leaders to successfully manage companies built to deliver long-term value.

As it announced the formal European Commission approval of its partnered Polpharma Biologics-developed Tyruko natalizumab biosimilar to Tysabri, Sandoz offered Generics Bulletin a timeframe for its expected launch in Europe.