Novo Nordisk has announced the appointment of Maziar Mike Doustdar as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective August 7, 2025.

Doustdar, who is currently Novo Nordisk’s Executive Vice President of International Operations, will succeed Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, who will step down from the role on the same date.

Doustdar has a strong track record of creating value and driving growth. Under his leadership over the past decade, Novo Nordisk’s International Operations have more than doubled sales to approximately DKK 112 billion in 2024.

“Mike is an exceptional leader and has the unanimous support of the Board. We are confident that he is the best person to lead Novo Nordisk through its next growth phase,” said Novo Nordisk Chair, Helge Lund.

Reflecting on the transition, Lund also praised the outgoing CEO, stating, “Under Lars’s leadership, Novo Nordisk has undergone a profound period of growth and now reaches millions more patients with life-changing medicines. On behalf of Novo Nordisk’s Board of Directors and our employees, I want to thank Lars for 34 years of unstinting commitment to the company and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.” 

Doustdar’s appointment follows a comprehensive process that included external and internal candidates. The Novo Nordisk Foundation fully endorses the Board’s decision.

Commenting on his new role, Doustdar said, “It’s an enormous privilege to lead this company at a time of tremendous opportunity and change. I come to this role with a sense of urgency, a laser focus on high performance, and a fierce determination for Novo Nordisk to aim higher than it’s ever done, and to deliver to many more patients the innovation they need.”

Novo Nordisk has also announced other organisational changes and executive-level changes, effective August 7.  

Novo Nordisk has decided to merge its Research and Early Development and Development EVP areas into a new, consolidated R and D unit.

Martin Holst Lange, currently Executive Vice President for Development, will lead the combined R and D function as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO).

He will focus on accelerating the innovation of new therapies and ensuring the success of the early and late-stage pipelines, particularly in the diabetes and obesity areas. In addition, he will work closely with Doustdar to drive pipeline development and innovation from both within and outside of the company.

Marcus Schindler, current Executive Vice President of Research and Early Development and CSO, will retire from Novo Nordisk. He joined the company in 2018 and has served as CSO since 2021.

With Doustdar stepping into the CEO role, Emil Kongshøj Larsen, currently Senior Vice President for the Europe and Canada (EUCAN) region, will join Executive Management as the new Executive Vice President, International Operations.

Larsen currently leads a region spanning 40 countries, accounting for about 20 percent of Novo Nordisk’s global sales. He has previously led other significant business areas throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East, as well as Commercial Affairs and Strategy in International Operations.