Tom Polen, the CEO of Becton Dickinson (NYSE:BDX), will also serve as BD’s board chair effective April 28, the company said today.
Polen takes over the board chair slot from former CEO Vincent A. Forlenza, who will retire at that time.
Polen, 47, has held the corner office at BD since January 2020. He joined the Franklin Lakes, N.J.–based company in 1999, rising through the ranks over the years.
“In Tom’s first year as CEO, he faced unprecedented challenges from the global COVID-19 pandemic, and successfully guided the company to assist in the pandemic while also advancing the focus and commitment to quality and compliance across the organization,” said Marshall Larsen, lead director for the BD board.
“Under his leadership, BD developed and rapidly scaled COVID-19 diagnostic testing, increased manufacturing for syringes and needles to meet the needs for worldwide COVID-19 vaccination campaigns and ensured BD’s full spectrum of critical innovations continued to reach patients around the globe,” Larsen said in a news release. “Tom and his leadership team also advanced several important strategic initiatives during his first year as CEO. The results are a testament to his leadership and decisive actions. BD will be well served with Tom as chairman of the board.”
