Abbott names Robert B. Ford chairman; Miles D. White retires

Abbott names Robert B. Ford chairman; Miles D. White retires

Abbott’s board of directors elected Chief Executive Officer Robert B. Ford as chairman of the board, effective Dec. 10, 2021. Miles D. White, executive chairman and former CEO, stepped down from the Abbott board effective immediately and retired after a “remarkable” 38-year career with global healthcare leader Abbott.

“We’re grateful for Miles’ leadership and his exceptional work to transform Abbott into the leading health technology company that it is today,” stated William A. Osborn, lead director and chair of the Nominations and Governance committee. “Robert has continued to strengthen Abbott’s position by advancing our industry-leading pipeline while managing the company’s significant contributions during the pandemic.”

White said, “It’s been my privilege to serve Abbott and its many stakeholders, reshaping the company to keep it relevant and strong while medicine, technology and society have evolved. Abbott will be in good hands with Robert’s leadership, and I want to thank the board and my colleagues – current and past – for their support during my tenure.”

According to Ford, “I want to thank Miles for all he’s done for Abbott and the people we serve, as well as his mentorship and friendship throughout my career. It’s my honor to work alongside the board and my global team to deliver on the unprecedented opportunities in front of us, so Abbott continues to lead in the reshaping of the future of healthcare.”