Emmanuel Ligner Takes Helm as Avantor's New CEO: What You Need to Know

Life sciences tools provider Avantor has officially tapped Emmanuel Ligner to lead the company as its next President and Chief Executive Officer, effective August 18, 2025. The move comes as Michael Stubblefield steps down from his role as Director, President and CEO, marking a significant leadership transition in the global life sciences sector.

Who Is Emmanuel Ligner?

With over 30 years of experience in the life sciences industry, Ligner brings a proven playbook for driving growth and building enterprise-scale organizations. His most recent position was Chief Executive Officer of Cerba HealthCare, but his resume tells a deeper story of building industry powerhouses.

During his 12-year tenure at GE Life Sciences, Ligner climbed through multiple global leadership positions, eventually earning the top spot as President and CEO. When Danaher Corporation acquired GE’s biopharma business, Ligner didn’t skip a beat—he led the launch of Cytiva and spent four years transforming it into a standalone life sciences brand. This included integrating Pall Life Sciences, a complex operational achievement that demonstrates his capability to execute large-scale business integrations.

Before his GE years, Ligner built his foundation in the pharma sector, starting his career in Japan with Otsuka Pharmaceuticals before moving into Abbott Japan operations. He holds an MA in Commerce from Université de Savoie in France and a BA in Marketing from University College of Wales in the U.K.

Why It Matters for Avantor

According to Jonathan Peacock, Chairman of Avantor’s Board of Directors, the appointment reflects confidence in Ligner’s ability to unlock the company’s potential. Peacock highlighted Ligner’s track record of scaling operations, building high-performing teams, and driving commercial expansion across major global life sciences organizations.

Ligner himself expressed optimism about the opportunity, noting Avantor’s attractive portfolio, global supply chain capabilities, and diverse customer base. His stated mission: capitalize on market opportunities and create shareholder value by working closely with the board, leadership team, and thousands of associates worldwide.

About Avantor

For context, Avantor is a leading provider of mission-critical products and services to the life sciences and advanced technology industries. The company’s portfolio reaches more than 300,000 customer locations across 180 countries, supporting research, development, and production activities at virtually every stage of scientific advancement.

The CEO transition comes ahead of Avantor’s second quarter 2025 financial results discussion, scheduled for Friday, August 1, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time.