Maurice Freeman is Executive Chairman of the Global Medical Device Nomenclature Agency – GMDN – and has been part of the development process since 1993. Mr Freeman joined the European Commission in 1991 as a technical expert for the development of the Medical Device Directives, and stayed until the end of 1995. He represented the commission in developing the GHTF (Global Harmonisation Task Force) and was appointed Chair of GHTF Study Group 1, where he worked to develop global premarket procedures for ten years, from 1995-2005. He also represented the commission as an Expert to CEN (European Standards) for seven years. Previously he was technical director and managing director of medical device manufacturing companies, specialising in, for example, anaesthetic m/c’s, lung ventilator, monitors etc. He also served as chair of Barema (the British Anaesthetic & Respiratory Manufacturers’ Association) for over 25 years.