Align Technology Appoints Emory Wright, EVP Direct Fabrication Manufacturing Platform to Build the Company’s Next Generation Manufacturing Operations -- Wright Plans to Retire in 2026

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TEMPE, Ariz. & SAN JOSE, Calif., May 22, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Align Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALGN), a leading global medical device company that designs, manufactures, and sells the Invisalign® system of clear aligners, iTero™ intraoral scanners, and exocad™ CAD/CAM software for digital orthodontics and restorative dentistry, today announced it has appointed Emory Wright, executive vice president, direct fabrication manufacturing platform, effective immediately. Mr. Wright will transition his current responsibilities for global operations, including treatment planning, and focus on scaling Align’s next generation direct fabrication manufacturing platform, working in close collaboration with Srini Kaza, who was promoted to executive vice president, research and development. Dr. Mitra Derakhshan, senior vice president, global clinical will assume responsibility for global treatment planning in the newly created role of executive vice president, chief clinical officer, global treatment planning and clinical services. Jitse Marree, vice president, global aligner manufacturing will continue to lead global clear aligner manufacturing operations and assume responsibility for Mr. Wright’s remaining global operations functions.

Following today’s announcement, Joe Hogan, Align Technology president and CEO provided the following comments:

"Emory has had an enormous impact on Align and the orthodontic industry as a whole and I am thrilled he will continue to provide his extensive knowledge and experience to help us accelerate our plans and further extend our leadership in 3D printing. Until his retirement in 2026, Emory will take on a new role and in addition to helping with the transition of his existing duties, he will lead the development of our direct 3D printing capabilities and focus on building a world-class direct fabrication operation that can scale to support the global demand for our next generation products and services —including the Invisalign Palatal Expander and future orthodontic and dental appliances.

"Srini just crossed his 25th anniversary with Align and he is one of the most revered innovators of clear aligner therapy in the world —and his contributions to the most advanced clear aligner system in the world, the Invisalign system, are unprecedented. With our recent acquisition of Cubicure, Srini and his team are now pioneering the next generation of 3D printing technologies that will radically change clear aligner therapy in the future. I am pleased to have Srini continue to lead our next phase of innovation working closely with Emory in his new role, and I want to congratulate Srini on his promotion to executive vice president, research & development.