Fresenius Medical Care (FMC) has named Charles Hugh-Jones, MD, FRCP as a member of its management board, effective January 1, 2026. Dr. Hugh-Jones will serve as the company’s chief medical officer.

He succeeds Franklin W. Maddux, MD as part of a planned transition after Dr. Maddux informed the supervisory board of his intention to retire.

“We welcome Charles Hugh-Jones to the Management Board of Fresenius Medical Care,” said Michael Sen, chairman of FMC’s supervisory board. “His expertise, experience and recognition as a leader in the medical area will be key to fostering Fresenius Medical Care´s leadership position in the renal area. We are delighted that we found such a capable successor.” Michael Sen added: “On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Frank for his excellent work and commitment over the past years. We wish him all the best for his retirement.”

Dr. Hugh-Jones was most recently CEO of Volastra Therapeutics from its inception as a discovery-stage startup to a clinical-stage biotech company. Before Volastra, he was chief medical officer at Allergan (later acquired by AbbVie).

He’s also served in senior leadership roles at Pfizer and Sanofi, driving innovation in chronic disease care, diabetes, cardiovascular and other therapeutic areas. Dr. Hugh-Jones is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of the UK.

“The Management Board is further strengthened by Charles’ broad corporate experience and clinical leadership,” said Helen Giza, CEO and chair of FMC’s management board. “He brings a fresh vantage point that reinforces our strength in renal care while pushing us to think wider and more creatively about the future of patient care. I would like to thank Frank for his dedication and contributions, which have left a lasting impact on our company. We wish him a very happy retirement and sincerely thank him for his outstanding service.”

“I am excited to join Fresenius Medical Care at a time when the company is about to set a new standard of kidney care in the U.S. with the rollout of the 5008X CAREsystem and continues to lead kidney care worldwide,” added Dr. Hugh-Jones. “The Global Medical Office will play an important role in advancing kidney care for patients and their families.”