News

Lions Eye Institute appoints Professor Bill Morgan to leadership role

The Lions Eye Institute (LEI) has appointed renowned ophthalmologist and medical researcher Professor Bill Morgan as Acting Managing Director.
 
Professor Morgan has been a leading ophthalmologist at the LEI for 25 years and also serves on the Board. 
 
Chairman Peter Forbes said Professor Morgan brought extensive experience and insight to the role. 
 
“We are most appreciative of Bill’s willingness to act as Managing Director while the Board explores future leadership options for the organisation,” he said.
 
Professor Morgan said it was an exciting time for the LEI with a number of major projects in train.
 
“I’m deeply honoured to take on the role and I very much look forward to working closely with the Board and all LEI staff during my tenure,” he said.
 
Professor Morgan assumes the role following Professor David Mackey’s announcement that he was stepping aside to focus on research after almost a decade at the helm of the LEI.
 
Professor Morgan is a glaucoma specialist and his research interests include studying the response of the optic nerve to pressure and the epidemiology of blinding eye disease. Just last week, he secured a $680,000 grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council to study orbital pressure alteration and interactions with intracranial and intraocular pressure.
 
Professor Morgan emphasises building teams and was part of the team at the LEI that developed the basis for XEN glaucoma surgery – a surgical treatment that successfully reduces intraocular pressure. 
 
He regularly teaches in Indonesia, assisting in developing locally built surgical devices and is also a consultant ophthalmologist at Royal Perth Hospital and Perth Children’s Hospital, a Professor at The University of Western Australia and co-director of the LEI McCusker Glaucoma Centre. 
 
Media Contact: Francesca Robb – francescarobb@lei.org.au