Danaher Promotes Julie Sawyer Montgomery to CEO

Danaher announced that its board has promoted executive VP and Diagnostics business leader Julie Sawyer Montgomery to CEO. Sawyer Montgomery will move into the corner office on October 1.

Rainer Blair, who has led the Washington, D.C.-based company for six years, will retire and become a transitional senior advisor until March 31, 2027.

Sawyer Montgomery boasts over 25 years of experience in healthcare, commercial operations, R&D. She joined Danaher’s Beckman Coulter Diagnostics business in 2017, where she headed commercial operations and R&D before becoming president in 2020.  She became VP and group executive of Danaher’s Diagnostics business in January 2023 and was named an executive VP in July 2024.

Before Danaher, Sawyer Montgomery held leadership roles at Hospira, a Pfizer company (culminating as president) and Boston Scientific.

Comments from Danaher execs

Steven Rales, board chairman: “In alignment with the Board of Directors’ succession planning process, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Julie as our next chief executive officer. We are at a uniquely opportune moment for Danaher, with untapped potential to accelerate growth across the enterprise. Julie has the vision, experience, and proven track record to deliver on that potential. I am confident she will lead our Company into its next phase of growth and value creation with a demonstrated commitment to innovation, commercial excellence, and operational rigor, all grounded in strategy. She is deeply engaged with customers, and a staunch advocate for patients as well as the company’s associates.

On behalf of the Danaher Board, executive team, and all associates, I want to thank Rainer for his leadership of Danaher over the past six years. Rainer played a critical role in driving Danaher’s portfolio transformation, building an industry-leading life sciences and diagnostics company. Importantly, he guided Danaher and our 60,000+ global associates through the COVID-19 pandemic, enhancing the Company’s standing as a world-class science and technology innovator. We thank him for his many contributions to the company.”

Mitchell Rales, executive committee chairman: “As we continue to strengthen our business, we are excited to have Julie as our new CEO. Under her leadership, the Diagnostics platform has consistently gained share in attractive end markets. She has played a pivotal role in transforming the performance of the Diagnostics business and led the recent acquisition of Masimo and pending acquisition of StatLab. She has also optimized the Danaher Business System to further drive performance across our Life Sciences and Diagnostics businesses. Her ability to accelerate growth and deliver results positions her well to lead the company forward.”

Julie Sawyer Montgomery: “I am honored to lead Danaher into its next chapter and want to thank Rainer for his leadership. Danaher’s global portfolio has tremendous potential with differentiated positions in some of the most attractive life sciences and diagnostics market segments. We have the opportunity to unleash the full power of Danaher as we accelerate innovation, enhance our business capabilities, and more effectively leverage the Danaher Business System across our businesses. We have a highly-talented team that is well-positioned to deliver innovation at the speed of life, generating more consistent growth and creating significant value for our shareholders.”

Blair: “It has been a privilege of a lifetime to spend the majority of my career at Danaher and to serve as President and CEO. I am proud of the work we have done together to strengthen and grow our portfolio, expand our impact, and position the Company for long-term success. I retire with great pride in all we have accomplished together and complete confidence in Danaher’s future under Julie’s leadership.”