08.23.21
There's a change in leadership coming at the maker of Aveeno and Neutrogena skin care. Alex Gorsky, currently chairman and CEO, will serve as executive chairman of Johnson & Johnson and transition the CEO role to Joaquin Duato, currently vice chairman of the company's executive committee, effective January 3, 2022.
Following the transition of the CEO role, Duato will also be appointed as a member of the company's board of directors.
"It has been an honor and privilege to lead this company as chairman and CEO for nearly a decade, and I am pleased to serve as executive chairman to help oversee Johnson & Johnson's ongoing progress improving the health of people and communities everywhere," said Gorsky in a statement released by J&J. “This is the right time for the company as our organization is delivering strong performance across all three segments and is positioned for continued success, in addition to this being the right time for me personally as I focus more on my family due to family health reasons."
Gorsky has served as chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson since 2012. During his tenure, Gorsky has overseen a more than 60% increase in R&D investments to $12 billion in 2020, making Johnson & Johnson one of the industry's top investors in research and development, as well as hundreds of acquisitions and partnerships that contributed to the company's growth across its three segments and an increase in adjusted earnings per share of approximately 85% based on 2021 guidance.
According to Gorsky, in addition to driving accelerated growth and profitability in its pharmaceutical and consumer health businesses, in his most recent role of vice chairman of the executive committee, Duato helped guide the company’s enterprise strategic planning process, encompassing all three of the company's business segments, and was responsible for spearheading a significant technology transformation across the enterprise over the past year. Duato also oversaw the company's rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic and led coordination of global initiatives to safeguard the health of employees and ensure business and supply chain continuity.
Duato’s 30-plus year career at Johnson & Johnson has spanned multiple business sectors, geographies and functions. As vice chairman of the executive committee, he provides strategic direction for the pharmaceutical and consumer health sectors and oversees the global supply chain, technology and health and wellness teams. As a dual citizen of Spain and the US, Duato’s international perspective and global lens gives him a deep appreciation of diverse thoughts and opinions. He is a past chair of PhRMA, and sits on the boards of UNICEF USA, Tsinghua University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Hess Corporation. As the current executive sponsor of Johnson & Johnson’s African Ancestry Leadership Council, Duato is committed to nurturing a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace — work recognized by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association in 2017 when he received the Honorable Mentor award. He earned an MBA from ESADE in Barcelona, Spain, and a Master of International Management from Thunderbird in Phoenix, Arizona.
Following the transition of the CEO role, Duato will also be appointed as a member of the company's board of directors.
"It has been an honor and privilege to lead this company as chairman and CEO for nearly a decade, and I am pleased to serve as executive chairman to help oversee Johnson & Johnson's ongoing progress improving the health of people and communities everywhere," said Gorsky in a statement released by J&J. “This is the right time for the company as our organization is delivering strong performance across all three segments and is positioned for continued success, in addition to this being the right time for me personally as I focus more on my family due to family health reasons."
Gorsky has served as chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson since 2012. During his tenure, Gorsky has overseen a more than 60% increase in R&D investments to $12 billion in 2020, making Johnson & Johnson one of the industry's top investors in research and development, as well as hundreds of acquisitions and partnerships that contributed to the company's growth across its three segments and an increase in adjusted earnings per share of approximately 85% based on 2021 guidance.
According to Gorsky, in addition to driving accelerated growth and profitability in its pharmaceutical and consumer health businesses, in his most recent role of vice chairman of the executive committee, Duato helped guide the company’s enterprise strategic planning process, encompassing all three of the company's business segments, and was responsible for spearheading a significant technology transformation across the enterprise over the past year. Duato also oversaw the company's rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic and led coordination of global initiatives to safeguard the health of employees and ensure business and supply chain continuity.
Duato’s 30-plus year career at Johnson & Johnson has spanned multiple business sectors, geographies and functions. As vice chairman of the executive committee, he provides strategic direction for the pharmaceutical and consumer health sectors and oversees the global supply chain, technology and health and wellness teams. As a dual citizen of Spain and the US, Duato’s international perspective and global lens gives him a deep appreciation of diverse thoughts and opinions. He is a past chair of PhRMA, and sits on the boards of UNICEF USA, Tsinghua University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Hess Corporation. As the current executive sponsor of Johnson & Johnson’s African Ancestry Leadership Council, Duato is committed to nurturing a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace — work recognized by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association in 2017 when he received the Honorable Mentor award. He earned an MBA from ESADE in Barcelona, Spain, and a Master of International Management from Thunderbird in Phoenix, Arizona.