Illumina appoints Susan Martin to lead ANZ operations

Illumina has named Susan Martin as the new General Manager for its Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) operations, a move aimed at driving commercial growth and market expansion in a region increasingly focused on genomic medicine. Martin, who previously served as Managing Director for Johnson & Johnson MedTech ANZ, will oversee the company's efforts to integrate sequencing technologies into clinical and public health settings. This leadership transition highlights the growing importance of the ANZ market as healthcare systems there transition genomics from a research-focused tool to a routine component of patient care pathways.

Based in Melbourne, Susan Martin joins Illumina with over 20 years of experience in medtech and biologics, having most recently led Johnson & Johnson MedTech’s orthopaedics, general surgery, and cardiovascular businesses in the ANZ region. In her new role, she will be responsible for Illumina’s commercial strategy, customer engagement, and partnerships across research, clinical, and public health sectors. Nilesh Shah, Illumina’s Head of Region for APAC, emphasized that Martin’s background in large-scale healthcare operations is critical as the company seeks to expand access to genomic technologies in what it considers one of the most advanced markets in the Asia-Pacific region.

The appointment comes at a time of significant investment in genomic medicine across Australia and New Zealand, driven by applications in oncology, reproductive health, and infectious disease surveillance. Illumina is currently supporting high-profile initiatives, such as a two-year genomics pilot program run by Health New Zealand and led by Canterbury Health Laboratories. These efforts reflect a broader regional push to utilize genomic data for more precise diagnosis, treatment selection, and disease monitoring, moving beyond the laboratory and into mainstream hospital systems and government-backed programs.

For the genomics and precision medicine sector, Martin’s leadership signals a strategic shift toward deepening relationships with laboratories, hospital networks, and public health bodies to navigate complex clinical workflows and funding models. Illumina’s focus on the ANZ market is bolstered by the region's robust public research infrastructure and the increasing adoption of sequencing tools in routine service delivery. By placing a seasoned medtech executive at the helm, Illumina aims to capitalize on rising healthcare spending and the transition of genomics into a foundational element of the regional healthcare ecosystem.