Olympus Corp. has appointed Bob White, a former executive VP and president, Medical Surgical Portfolio for Medtronic, as its new CEO.

White is a successor to Yasuo Takeuchi, Olympus’ Director, Representative Executive Officer, President and CEO. He will take office on June 1, 2025. He will also be proposed as a candidate for election to the Board at Olympus’ General Meeting of Shareholders.

He was executive VP and president, Medical Surgical Portfolio for Medtronic until April 2024. Before that, he was senior VP and president of Medtronic Asia Pacific, based in Singapore where he had responsibility for APAC as well as Japan. During his tenure at Covidien, he held the positions of president of Emerging Markets and president of Respiratory and Monitoring Solutions.

Before joining Medtronic, White had leadership positions at GE HealthCare, Merge Healthcare, and Healthcare Division, IBM.

Olympus’ nominating committee engaged an executive search firm and formed an advisory search committee to select and recommend the best candidate for the next CEO in November 2024. After a comprehensive and rigorous search process, Olympus determined that he’s the ideal leader among a strong pool of internal and external candidates.

“I am truly honored and grateful for the trust placed in me by the Board of Directors and the Nominating Committee,” said White. “Olympus is an exceptional company, known for its market-leading solutions, cutting-edge technology, and remarkable people. I’m excited to bring my experience to the table and contribute to the company’s ongoing success and growth. I’ve long admired Olympus for its rich Japanese heritage, outstanding products, and unwavering commitment to serving the needs of both clinicians and patients.”

“We are pleased to name Bob to this pivotal leadership role. He possesses a wealth of experience garnered from his tenure at various esteemed organizations within the medical technology sector. I look forward to welcoming him as a leader who will bring extensive knowledge and expertise to the company,” said Yasuo Takeuchi. “Over the course of his career, Bob has demonstrated exceptional leadership in driving both transformative growth and strategic initiatives. I am truly pleased that he is bringing this profound expertise and insight to Olympus.”