SINGAPORE and BOSTON, Jan. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cosmo, a global leader in performance textiles, composites, and advanced materials for the footwear and apparel industry, today announced a planned leadership transition. Josh VanDernoot will retire as Chief Executive Officer after six years in the role. The Board of Directors appointed Mark Griffie as CEO, effective 1 January 2026. Mark will be based in Singapore. Josh will remain on Cosmo's Board of Directors and serve as an advisor to support Mark through a smooth transition.
Chairman of the Board, Doug Dossey said, "Josh led Cosmo through a period of significant industry change, maintaining operating discipline, honoring commitments to our brand and factory partners, and strengthening the foundation of the business. We are grateful for his leadership, and Cosmo is well positioned today because of it."
Josh VanDernoot added, "It has been a privilege to lead Cosmo, and I am proud of the platform we have built over many years. The business is strong, the team is deeply capable, and Mark is well prepared to lead the business in its next phase. I look forward to continuing to support the Company as a Director and advisor."
Mark Griffie joined Cosmo in 2024 and has worked closely with the leadership team to drive growth, sustainable innovation and operational excellence. Previously, he spent two decades at Nike, most recently as Senior Vice President of Materials Supply Chain, where he oversaw global procurement of over USD 8 billion in footwear and apparel materials. His earlier roles spanned product development and sourcing across Asia, including postings in China (2006–2008) and Singapore (2016–2020). Mark brings deep brand acumen, an extensive industry network, and a proven track record of executing at scale.
"Mark is a proven leader with deep operating expertise and a strong understanding of our customers, partners and industry," noted Doug Dossey. "He has the full confidence of the Board and the leadership team, and he is incredibly well positioned to lead Cosmo into its next exciting phase of growth."
Mark Griffie said, "I'm humbled by the trust placed in me by the Board, Josh and the Cosmo team. Our priorities remain unchanged. We will stay deeply connected to our brand and factory partners, ensuring reliability and consistency in everything we do. At the same time, we will continue strengthening our commercial and operational foundations."
Cosmo operates in a dynamic part of the footwear and apparel value chain. With Mark as Chief Executive Officer, Cosmo will continue to lead with operational discipline and a strong customer focus. The Company is committed to supporting its brand and factory partners through reliable execution, close collaboration, and a relentless focus on delivering value.
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About Cosmo
Cosmo is a global leader in performance textiles, composites, and advanced materials for the footwear and apparel industries, and the #1 supplier of waterproof solutions worldwide. Through a versatile, multi-country manufacturing platform, Cosmo supplies innovative materials designed to meet a wide range of performance, aesthetic, and commercial requirements. Cosmo offers a tiered portfolio of solutions – spanning good, better, and best options across performance and price points – allowing brand and factory partners to select the right materials for each product and market. With manufacturing operations across Asia, Cosmo supports localized production, rapid development cycles, and fast-to-market delivery. The Company works closely with leading global brands through collaborative R&D partnerships and is committed to sustainable manufacturing, advancing initiatives such as recycled material systems, waterless dyeing, bio-based textiles, and closed-loop recycling. Together, these capabilities enable Cosmo to deliver high-quality, innovative, and environmentally conscious material solutions to partners worldwide. Learn more at https://cosmofabric.net/
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Cosmo Announces Leadership Transition; Mark Griffie appointed as Chief Executive Officer
ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- iotaMotion, Inc., creator of iotaSOFT®, the first and only FDA cleared robotic-assisted cochlear implant insertion system, today announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for expanded pediatric use of its iotaSOFT® Insertion System. The system is now cleared for use in patients four years of age and older, extending access to robotic-assisted cochlear implantation for school-aged children.
"Receiving FDA clearance for expanded pediatric use marks a significant milestone for iotaMotion and for families navigating cochlear implant decisions," said Mike Lobinsky, CEO of iotaMotion. "By standardizing one of the most delicate steps in cochlear implant surgery, iotaSOFT helps reduce variability which could provide parents greater confidence as they consider cochlear implantation for their children."
The iotaSOFT Insertion System enables precise and controlled electrode array insertion during one of the most delicate steps of cochlear implant surgery. By standardizing this critical step, iotaSOFT is designed to help preserve delicate cochlear structures, a consideration that is often central to decision-making.
As part of this milestone, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, a nationally ranked pediatric medical center, and U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll member for 2025–2026, has become the first dedicated pediatric center to adopt the iotaSOFT Insertion System. Cincinnati Children's joins over 35 leading cochlear implant centers across the United States, including nearly half of U.S. neurotology fellowship training programs, that have adopted this innovative technology.
"At Cincinnati Children's, our focus is delivering the highest standard of care while thoughtfully integrating innovations that benefit our patients," said Dr. Daniel Choo, chief clinical growth officer and professor of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery. "Robotic-assisted cochlear implantation represents a meaningful advancement in our cochlear implant program."
Globally, fewer than 5% of eligible cochlear implant candidates receive an implant, despite more than 430 million people worldwide experiencing disabling hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization. In pediatric patients, early access to sound is critical for speech, language and educational development, yet concerns around hearing preservation and surgical variability can delay intervention.
A 2025 clinical cohort study published in The Laryngoscope (Khan et al.) found that 85% of patients in the robotic-assisted insertion group maintained hearing preservation at one year, compared with 71% in the manual insertion group, according to its authors.
"Robotic assistance in cochlear implantation is about precision and consistency," said Marlan Hansen, MD, co-founder and chief medical officer of iotaMotion. "With the expanded pediatric indication for iotaSOFT, supported by growing clinical evidence, families can have greater confidence that controlled, standardized insertion is designed to protect the cochlea and preserve its structure and function. This is especially important for children who may benefit from emerging therapeutic advances, including gene-based and regenerative hearing technologies, which will likely depend on atraumatic, cochlear implant array placement early in life."
About iotaMotion
iotaMotion, Inc. is a medical technology company based in St. Paul, Minnesota, dedicated to advancing cochlear implant surgery beyond human capability through robotic-assisted solutions. Its flagship technology, the iotaSOFT® Insertion System, is designed to preserve delicate intracochlear structures through slow and consistent electrode array insertion. The system is commercially available in the United States and under clinical investigation in other global markets.
For more information, visit http://www.iotamotion.com/ and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube.
Sources:
Claussen AD, et al. Comparative Analysis of Robotics-Assisted and Manual Insertions of Cochlear Implant Electrode Arrays. Otol Neurotol, 2022.
Khan AM, et al. Robotic-Assisted Electrode Array Insertion Improves Rates of Hearing Preservation. The Laryngoscope, 2025.
Data on file
Media Contact:
Sara Ashburn-Reed
Sashburn-reed@iotamotion.com
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
iotaMotion Receives FDA Clearance for Expanded Pediatric Use of iotaSOFT® Robotic-Assisted Cochlear Implant Insertion System
iotaMotion Receives FDA Clearance for Expanded Pediatric Use of iotaSOFT® Robotic-Assisted Cochlear Implant Insertion System
iotaMotion Receives FDA Clearance for Expanded Pediatric Use of iotaSOFT® Robotic-Assisted Cochlear Implant Insertion System
