Niels Abt

Critic
DISC Type : C

Director R&D at Alcon

Switzerland

Overview

Niels Abt is the Director of R&D at Alcon, where he leads the team specializing in microsurgical instruments. With a background in mechanical engineering and medical physics, he has been with Alcon since 2007, securing over 15 patents and driving innovation by collaborating closely with surgeons.

He demonstrates a strong intellectual curiosity for future-focused topics, actively following webcasts on scientific forecasting and technology outlooks. This interest extends to creative methods, as he engages in visual note-taking and sketching during innovation keynotes to capture and process new ideas.

Unique fact: Niels was part of the team whose product, the Finesse Reflex Handle, won a prestigious Red Dot Design Award for its ergonomic and functional design.

Personality Overview

Objective Thinker

Information Seeker

Critic

They don’t appreciate bells and whistles unless backed by data.  They are quite likely to negotiate on pricing or other key terms. They enjoy working alone and do not rely on others very often.

Topics They Care About

Microsurgical Innovation
He leads the R&D team at Alcon Grieshaber, which specializes in developing the next generation of microsurgical hand instruments and has won design awards for them.
Surgeon Collaboration
He has publicly stated that collaboration between instrument makers and surgeons is at the heart of his team's success in developing innovative and effective tools.
Strategic Foresight
Follows think tanks and webcasts that focus on using scientific methods to forecast future trends and technological shifts, indicating an interest in long-term strategy.

Media Appearances

Niels has no verified media appearances

Work History

3-2021
Director R&D at Alcon
3-2015 - 3-2021
Head of R&D Operations at Alcon
1-2011 - 2-2015
Microsurgical Design R+D at Alcon
6-2007 - 1-2011
Project Manager R+D at Alcon
2001 - 2007
Polymer Research Engineer at Zimmer

Education

2012 - 2014
MAS from ETH Zürich
1997 - 2000
Mechanical Engineering from University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 25 Location : Switzerland Job Level : Mid-senior Designation : Director R&D at Alcon
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Insights For Selling To Niels

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Don’t forget to mention how you compare to competition on both features and pricing
  • Keep some extra margin while sharing pricing, they are likely to negotiate later
  • Tell them what ROI they can expect

DONT's

  • Don't give superficial answers, they are easily rattled by them
  • Don’t try to give too many examples of other users, they like to make their own decisions
  • Don’t try too hard to build a relationship with them

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Niels is

  • Strong evidence of ROI, effective pricing, and proven data points matter the most to them.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Niels

  • It is not very hard for them to say no if they are not convinced about the decision.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Niels move?

  • They are neither the fastest nor the slowest decision makers, they are somewhere in the middle.
  • Can Niels take some risk or not?

  • They can bear some risk if their analysis backs the decision.

You And Niels

Personality Compatibility


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