$COO · COOPER COMPANIES, INC.
CooperCompanies filed an 8-K disclosing the immediate resignation of President and CEO Albert G. White III and the appointment of independent director Walt Rosebrough as Executive Chair on an interim basis. The Board has formed a CEO Search Committee and retained Russell Reynolds to find a permanent successor. The company also announced Board refreshment: Shlomi Nachman joins December 8, 2026, while three directors depart at the 2027 Annual Meeting, shrinking the Board to seven. FY2026 guidance was reaffirmed.
- CEO Albert G. White III resigned from the Board and ceased serving as President and CEO effective October 27, 2026.
- White will remain as a strategic advisor through April 1, 2027, with additional compensation terms yet to be determined.
- Independent director Walt Rosebrough, former STERIS CEO (2007–2021), appointed Executive Chair on an interim basis.
- Shlomi Nachman, former J&J Vision executive, will join the Board as an independent director effective December 8, 2026.
- Three current directors — Carbone, Jay, and Weiss — will not stand for reelection at the 2027 Annual Meeting, reducing the Board to seven nominees.
Extended-hours trading shows COO at $59.75, down 0.22% from the regular close of $59.88 — a muted reaction suggesting the market had partially anticipated leadership changes following Browning West's board involvement in December 2025.
A sudden CEO ouster at an $11.4B med-tech company, combined with a Board overhaul influenced by activist Browning West, signals a major strategic inflection point.
Rosebrough's STERIS track record — 18% annualized shareholder returns vs. 10% for the S&P 500 and $20B+ in market cap growth — sets a high bar. Nachman brings direct vision-care expertise from J&J, signaling a potential strategic refocus for CooperVision.
The Board stated "recent performance has not met our expectations" and "decisive action is needed." The CEO search timeline is uncertain, and White's additional transition compensation remains undetermined, requiring a future 8-K amendment.