Cooper Companies CEO Albert White Steps Down; Rosebrough Named Executive Chair

Cooper Companies president and chief executive Albert White has stepped down, effective immediately, and independent director Walt Rosebrough has been elected executive chair, the contact lens and medical device maker said on October 27 in a press release filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Rosebrough will assume direct oversight of day-to-day operations until a permanent CEO is appointed, the company said. White also left the board and will remain employed as a strategic adviser through April 1, 2027.

"The Company's recent performance has not met our expectations, and the Board believes decisive action is needed to ensure the Company reaches its long-term potential," Rosebrough said in the release. He thanked White for "valuable contributions to CooperCompanies throughout his 20 years with the Company."

Activist pressure

The changes came weeks after activist investor Jana Partners called on Cooper to start an external search for a new CEO and appoint a new board chair, MedTech Dive reported. Cooper cut its full-year earnings and revenue forecasts in September, and the following week Jana urged the company to consider selling its fertility and medical device assets and to engage with buyers for its CooperVision contact lens unit, according to MedTech Dive. White had been CEO for eight years, the publication said.

The search for a permanent CEO is being overseen by a board committee of Lawrence Kurzius, Cynthia Lucchese and Teresa Madden, with support from search firm Russell Reynolds, according to the release. The company did not give a timeline.

New chair from Steris

Rosebrough has served on Cooper's board since January 2026. He was chief executive of infection prevention company Steris from 2007 to 2021 and previously spent two decades at Hill-Rom, including as president and CEO, the company said. He is independent chair of Varex Imaging's board and immediate past chair of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation.

Board refreshment

Shlomo (Shlomi) Nachman, a former Johnson & Johnson executive who most recently led the Cardiovascular and Specialty Solutions & Vision Group within J&J's medical devices sector, will join the board as an independent director on December 8, 2026. Directors Barbara Carbone, Colleen Jay and Robert Weiss do not intend to stand for reelection at the 2027 annual meeting.

The board will nominate seven directors at that meeting: Paul Keel, Lawrence Kurzius, Cynthia Lucchese, Teresa Madden, Shlomi Nachman, Maria Rivas and Walt Rosebrough. The company said the smaller board "will promote more focused oversight, efficient decision-making, and accountability."

Cooper reaffirmed the fiscal 2026 guidance it provided on September 9. MedTech Dive reported that the company expects organic growth of 2% to 3% for the year, with 4% to 5% growth in its surgical business and 1% to 2% growth in CooperVision sales.