A year after the news that former Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky would pass the baton to Joaquin Duato, Gorsky is shedding his last remaining role at J&J.
Duato, who took over as CEO this past January, will also become the company's board chair in January 2023. At that time, Gorsky will part ways with J&J, the company said.
As Gorsky officially departs from J&J, he “could not think of a better leader” than Duato to lead the board, the outgoing exec said in a statement.
“The opportunity to lead Johnson & Johnson through such a pivotal time in the company’s history has been the great privilege of my life,” Gorsky said in the company’s statement.
Duato’s appointment comes after 30 years of service at J&J. Duato notably guided the company throughout the pandemic, leading the company’s internal COVID-19 response group and overseeing supply chain and technology initiatives.
For his part, Duato noted in the statement that he will work closely with other directors. The J&J CEO thanked Gorsky for his contributions and for laying the foundation for the future of both J&J and Kenvue, the company’s planned consumer health spinoff.
While Gorsky laid the groundwork for Kenvue, it will be up to Duato to kick off the brand and finalize the separation.
Gorsky leaves Duato with some big shoes to fill. Last year, the company pulled down $93.8 billion in sales.