 Novo Nordisk, a Danish multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Bagsværd with production facilities in nine countries, has appointed Maziar Mike Doustdar as its new president and chief executive officer, effective from August 7, 2025, as per the company statement on July 29, 2025.
Doustdar, currently executive vice president of International Operations, will succeed Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, who is stepping down from the position on the same date.
Novo Nordisk Chair Helge Lund expressed confidence in the appointment, stating: "Mike is an exceptional leader and has the unanimous support of the Board. We are confident that he is the best person to lead Novo Nordisk through its next growth phase." The Novo Nordisk Foundation has fully endorsed the board’s decision.
Upon his appointment, Doustdar said: "It’s an enormous privilege to lead this company at a time of tremendous opportunity and change. I come to this role with a sense of urgency, a laser focus on high performance, and a fierce determination for Novo Nordisk to aim higher than it’s ever done."
The Danish pharmaceutical company also announced several other organizational changes effective from August 7. The research & early development and development executive vice president areas will be merged into a combined R&D unit under the leadership of Martin Holst Lange, who will be appointed chief scientific officer.
Marcus Schindler, current executive vice president of research & early development and CSO, has decided to retire from the company but will remain for a short period to ensure a successful transition.
Additionally, Emil Kongshøj Larsen, currently senior vice president of the Europe and Canada region, will join executive management and succeed Doustdar as executive vice president of International Operations. Larsen currently leads a region spanning 40 countries, accounting for about 20% of Novo Nordisk’s global sales.
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