Linde appoints CEO Lamba as chairman, Durbin to become COO

WOKING, England - Industrial gases company Linde (NASDAQ:LIN), a $222 billion market cap leader with a "GOOD" Financial Health rating according to InvestingPro, announced Monday that its Board of Directors has appointed current Chief Executive Officer Sanjiv Lamba to the additional role of Chairman of the Board, effective January 31, 2026.

Lamba will succeed Steve Angel, who plans to retire from Linde’s Board on the same date after 25 years with the company. Angel has served as Chairman since 2022 and was previously CEO from 2018 to 2022. Before that, he was Chairman and CEO of Praxair, Inc., Linde’s predecessor company, from 2007 to 2018. Under their leadership, the company has delivered a solid 14.42% return year-to-date.

In a related leadership change, the company will appoint Sean Durbin as Chief Operating Officer effective October 1, 2025. Durbin, a 30-year veteran of the company, currently serves as Executive Vice President of Linde North America, a position he has held since September 2023.

"I am honored that the Board of Directors has asked me to serve as Chairman of the company," Lamba said in the press release statement.

Bob Wood, Linde’s Lead Independent Director, stated that the board believes having Lamba serve as both CEO and Chair "reflects the most effective model for the company at this time."

Angel, who is departing to pursue a new leadership opportunity, expressed confidence in the company’s future under Lamba’s leadership.

Linde, which reported sales of $33 billion in 2024, provides industrial gases and engineering services across various sectors including chemicals, food and beverage, electronics, healthcare, and manufacturing. Analysts maintain a Buy consensus on the stock, as revealed by InvestingPro’s comprehensive analysis, which includes dozens more key metrics and insights available to subscribers.

In other recent news, Linde PLC reported strong financial results for the second quarter of 2025. The company exceeded analyst expectations with an earnings per share (EPS) of $4.90, compared to the projected $4.03. Additionally, Linde’s revenue reached $8.5 billion, surpassing the anticipated $8.35 billion. These figures highlight the company’s robust performance in the recent quarter. Despite the positive earnings and revenue results, Linde’s stock experienced a decline, which was attributed to broader market trends and investor caution. The company’s financial achievements have been noted by industry analysts, although there were no specific upgrades or downgrades reported from major firms. These developments reflect the current state of the company and its reception in the market.

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