5
Robert B. Ford
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Abbott Laboratories
Global HealthcareFounded 1888- HQ today: Abbott Park, Illinois, USA
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026
Leadership History
Abbott Laboratories: CEO History
5 leaders · Full leadership timeline
Who is the CEO of Abbott Laboratories?
Robert B. Ford is the CEO of Abbott Laboratories.
- Current CEO
- Robert B. Ford
- Leaders documented
- 5
- Founded
- 1888
| Name | Role | From | To | Years in role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert B. Ford | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | — | Present | — |
| Miles D. White | Executive Chairman (Former CEO) | — | Present | — |
| Robert E. Funck, Jr. | Executive Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer | — | Present | — |
| Michael J. Dale | Executive Vice President, Diabetes Care | — | Present | — |
| Daniel G. Watters | Executive Vice President, Nutritional Products | — | Present | — |
Company Overview
Abbott Laboratories is a towering presence in global healthcare, touching over two billion lives annually through life-changing technologies. Its four core operating pillars—Medical Devices, Diagnostics, Nutritionals, and Established Pharmaceuticals—balance high-growth medtech innovation with stable, recurring consumer healthcare demand.
Abbott operates a diversified, high-margin business model combining consumable medical devices with recurring diagnostic reagent sales and trusted nutritional brands. Over 65% of revenue is derived from recurring consumables and testing supplies.
4
Miles D. White
Executive Chairman (Former CEO)
3
Robert E. Funck, Jr.
Executive Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer
2
Michael J. Dale
Executive Vice President, Diabetes Care
1
Daniel G. Watters
Executive Vice President, Nutritional Products
Challenges & Strategic Context
Key challenges include managing global supply chain resilience, navigating complex international medical device reimbursement reforms, and defending core intellectual property against aggressive medtech competitors.
Abbott Laboratories CEO and Leadership FAQ
Who is the current CEO of Abbott Laboratories?
Robert B. Ford serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Abbott Laboratories, having taken the helm in March 2020 after leading Abbott's medical device and diabetes care divisions.
How long did Miles White serve as Abbott's CEO?
Miles D. White served as Abbott's CEO for 22 years from 1998 to 2020, during which he engineered the 2013 AbbVie spinoff and major medtech acquisitions like St. Jude Medical.
What are the primary priorities of Abbott's current executive team?
Abbott's current executive team prioritizes scaling consumer biowearables like FreeStyle Libre and Lingo, expanding emerging market footprint, maintaining balance sheet strength, and accelerating digital health innovation.
How does Abbott ensure effective corporate governance?
Abbott maintains robust corporate governance through an independent Board of Directors, rigorous risk management oversight, and transparent ethical compliance standards across all global operations.
Related Leadership Timelines
Compare executive leadership tenures and strategic transitions
Explore Abbott Laboratories
Core profile pages, founders and related research hubs for this company.