Zeiss has appointed Axel Christian president of Zeiss North America, a newly created position that brings the technology company's activities in the United States and Canada under a unified regional organization.

In the role, Mr. Christian will lead initiatives across the region, identify growth opportunities in the North American market, and promote collaboration among Zeiss's business segments, including its medical technology and vision care operations.

The appointment comes as Zeiss marks 100 years of operations in the United States. The company began US operations in December 1925 with 39 employees in New York City and today employs more than 3,500 people across more than 30 US locations. Its businesses span healthcare and vision care, precision optics and photonics, metrology and microscopy, and semiconductor manufacturing technologies. In Canada, Zeiss employs more than 250 people across 4 locations.

Zeiss said the new North American structure is intended to strengthen collaboration among its businesses and create opportunities to apply technologies and expertise developed in one segment to others.

For ophthalmology, Zeiss Medical Technology develops medical products and integrated workflow solutions for ophthalmic care and microsurgery. The company's Consumer Markets segment includes spectacle lenses and ophthalmic instruments focused on vision health. Other Zeiss businesses operating within the unified North American organization include Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Quality & Research, and Photonics & Optics.

According to the company, closer integration could allow expertise in areas such as precision optics and metrology developed for semiconductor and industrial applications to be applied to medical technology and consumer imaging.

“This new structure is ultimately about bringing the United States and Canada together as Zeiss North America and directing more of our energy toward our customers,” Mr. Christian said. “Collaboration is easy to say, but harder to do. Over the past several weeks, I have spent time listening to colleagues across the region, and I have already seen the possibilities that exist when we connect expertise across our businesses. Together, we will achieve much more.”

Mr. Christian has more than 20 years of experience in strategic management positions. He previously served as head of Corporate Finance and Controlling at Zeiss headquarters in Oberkochen, Germany, and, most recently, as CFO of Zeiss Greater China.

He will be based at the Zeiss Innovation Center California in Dublin, California.