Avantor names Emmanuel Ligner as new president and CEO

RADNOR, Pa. - Avantor, Inc. (NYSE:AVTR), a life sciences company with annual revenues of $6.7 billion and a market capitalization of $9 billion, announced Monday the appointment of Emmanuel Ligner as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective August 18, 2025.

Ligner will succeed Michael Stubblefield, who will step down from his role as previously announced. The incoming CEO brings over 30 years of experience in the life sciences industry, most recently serving as Chief Executive Officer of Cerba HealthCare. He will take the helm of a company that InvestingPro data shows maintains a healthy 33.6% gross profit margin and strong financial health metrics.

Prior to his role at Cerba HealthCare, Ligner was President and CEO of Cytiva, part of Danaher Corporation. His career also includes 12 years at GE Life Sciences, where he held several global leadership positions before being appointed President and CEO. Earlier in his career, he worked at Otsuka Pharmaceuticals and Abbott in Japan.

"Emmanuel is a proven CEO and leader with extensive experience driving commercial growth and building high-performing, empowered teams at large-scale global life sciences organizations," said Jonathan Peacock, Chairman of Avantor’s Board of Directors, in a press release statement.

Ligner holds an MA in Commerce from Université de Savoie in France and a BA in Marketing from University College of Wales in the UK.

Avantor describes itself as a provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the life sciences and advanced technology industries, serving more than 300,000 customer locations across 180 countries. According to InvestingPro analysis, the company appears undervalued based on its Fair Value assessment, with a solid free cash flow yield and proven profitability over the last twelve months.

The company is scheduled to hold a conference call to discuss its second quarter 2025 financial results on Friday, August 1, 2025. Investors seeking detailed analysis can access comprehensive financial metrics and additional ProTips through InvestingPro’s exclusive research report on Avantor, part of its coverage of over 1,400 US equities.

In other recent news, Avantor Inc. has been the focus of multiple analyst reports and company developments. KeyBanc maintained an Overweight rating on Avantor, setting a price target of $30.00, citing potential catalysts such as new leadership and growth in the Bioscience Production segment. Raymond James also reiterated an Outperform rating with a $16.00 price target, highlighting the undervaluation of Avantor’s higher-margin business segments like bioprocessing and silicones. Conversely, Goldman Sachs downgraded Avantor from ’Buy’ to ’Neutral’ and lowered the price target to $14.00 due to concerns over the Laboratory Solutions segment’s growth prospects. Bernstein also adjusted its price target from $18.00 to $15.00, reflecting disappointment with recent earnings and increased market competition. Despite these challenges, Avantor has announced new leadership roles and additional cost-saving measures. The company’s strategic adjustments and market responses are under close scrutiny by investors. Avantor’s ability to navigate these challenges will be critical in shaping its future trajectory.

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