Novo Nordisk has appointed Maziar Mike Doustdar, currently Novo Nordisk’s Executive Vice President of International Operations, as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective August 7, 2025. He succeeds Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, who will step down as President and CEO, also on August 7, 2025. The company also announced other executive-level changes, effective August 7, 2025. 

Doustdar became Senior Vice President of International Operations in 2013 and later Exeuttive Vice President of International Operations in 2015. Under his leadership over the past decade, Novo Nordisk’s International Operations have more than doubled sales to approximately DKK 112 billion ($17.2 billion) in 2024. The business includes all of Novo Nordisk’s affiliates outside of the US and employs nearly 20,000 people. 

Separately, Emil Kongshøj Larsen, currently Senior Vice President of the Europe and Canada region (EUCAN), will join Executive Management and will assume the role of Exeuttive Vice President of International Operations, succeeding Doustdar in that role. Larsen currently leads a region spanning 40 countries, accounting for about 20% of Novo Nordisk’s global sales. He has previously led other business areas throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East as well as Commercial Affairs and Strategy in International Operations 

Other organizaitional and executive changes 
The company has made tther organizational changes, also effective August 7, 2025: 

First, Research & Early Development and Development Executive Vice President areas will be merged into a combined R&D unit. Novo Nordisk has decided to merge the company’s Research & Early Development with its Development area into a new, consolidated R&D unit, under the leadership of Martin Holst Lange, MD, PhD, currently Executive Vice President, Development, will be appointed Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), effective August 7, 2025. He will focus on combining the two functions, quickly advancing the innovation of new therapies and ensuring the success of the early and late-stage pipelines, with a significant focus on the diabetes and obesity areas. In addition, he will work closely w, ith the company’s new CEO, Mike Doustdar, to drive pipeline development and innovation from both within and outside of the company. 

Marcus Schindler, the company’s Executive Vice President, Research & Early Development and CSO, has decided to retire from the company. Schindler joined Novo Nordisk in January 2018 as Senior Vice President of External Innovation and Strategy and has been CSO since 2021. He will remain at Novo Nordisk for a short period to ensure a successful transition. 

With all the changes, the company’s Executive Management will have the following members, effective August 7, 2025: 

• Maziar Mike Doustdar, President and CEO* 
• Thilde Hummel Bøgebjerg, Executive Vice President, Quality, IT & Environmental Affairs 

• Emil Kongshøj Larsen, Executive Vice President, International Operations 

• Ludovic Helfgott, Executive Vice President, Product & Portfolio Strategy 

• Karsten Munk Knudsen, Executive Vice President,  Chief Fnancial Officer 

• Martin Holst Lange, Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer, Research & Development 

• David Moore, Executive Vice President, US Operations 

• Tania Sabroe, Executive Vice President, People, Organization and Corporate Affairs 

• Henrik Wulff, Executive Vice President, CMC & Product Supply 

Source: Novo Nordisk