Coloplast Appoints Gavin Wood as President and CEO, Effective May 1, 2026
Summary: Coloplast (CSE: COLOB) announced on March 5, 2026 the appointment of Gavin Wood as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective May 1, 2026. The appointment concludes a year-long executive transition that began when former CEO Kristian Villumsen departed in May 2025, with Lars Rasmussen serving as interim CEO through the company’s operational challenges and strategy reset. Wood brings approximately two decades of senior medical technology leadership. Most recently he served as Company Group Chairman of Johnson & Johnson MedTech EMEA, overseeing a multi-billion-dollar business spanning Surgery, Orthopedics, and Cardiovascular and Specialty Solutions. Prior to that he was Worldwide President of J&J’s Ethicon wound closure business — providing direct wound care category expertise — and Executive Vice President Commercial at Mölnlycke, a global wound management manufacturer. He currently serves as Vice Chair of MedTech Europe. A Canadian national based in Switzerland, Wood will relocate to Denmark before assuming the role. He takes over as Coloplast implements its Impact4 strategic plan, announced in September 2025 to reset the company’s growth trajectory.
Key Highlights:
- Effective May 1, 2026: Gavin Wood becomes President and CEO, succeeding interim CEO Lars Rasmussen following Kristian Villumsen’s May 2025 departure
- Most recent role: Company Group Chairman, J&J MedTech EMEA — multi-billion-dollar portfolio across Surgery, Orthopedics, and Cardiovascular and Specialty Solutions
- Direct wound care background: Worldwide President of Ethicon wound closure at J&J; Executive VP Commercial at Mölnlycke
- Currently Vice Chair of MedTech Europe, the continent’s leading medical device trade association
- Takes the helm during execution of Coloplast’s Impact4 strategic plan, introduced September 2025 to drive sustainable growth
- Significant for wound care: Coloplast is a major global supplier of advanced wound dressings, ostomy care, and continence products
Keywords: Coloplast, wound care industry news, medtech leadership, advanced wound care company, wound care CEO