CORK, Ireland — Joakim Weidemanis will be the new CEO of Johnson Controls, effective Wednesday, March 12, following the company’s annual shareholders meeting, the board of directors announced Wednesday. Weidemanis will succeed current CEO George R. Oliver.
Oliver, who led the company’s transformation into a building solutions provider, will continue to serve as the non-executive board chairman until the end of July, a press release from Johnson Controls said. At that time, he will be succeeded as chairman by Mark P. Vergnano, who has served on the board since 2016.
Oliver will remain as an advisor to the company until the end of the year to provide support and ensure a smooth leadership transition, the press release said.
Weidemanis has a successful track record in leading global technology-driven businesses and delivering profitable growth, the press release said. He held several executive leadership roles over a 13-year career at Danaher Corp. that have provided him with extensive experience scaling global companies, the press release said.
“The board identified Joakim as uniquely suited to lead Johnson Controls during its next chapter of growth as a pure-play provider of comprehensive solutions for commercial buildings,” said Jürgen Tinggren, lead independent director of the Johnson Controls board. “Joakim’s approach to leading service-oriented businesses aligns well with both the Johnson Controls approach and our end-to-end operating model. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated remarkable ability as an operator of large global businesses, scaling both organically and inorganically, and is adept in shaping product portfolios and leveraging technology to deliver best-in-class financial performance.”
Tinggren continued: “As we have made substantial progress in our transformation, George has set the stage for Johnson Controls to capitalize on the opportunities ahead. On behalf of the Johnson Controls board, we thank him for his remarkable leadership over the last eight years.”
“As I come to know Johnson Controls, I am energized by its mission-driven culture and strong 140-year legacy of developing market-leading technology and solutions that enable customers to manage their facilities in a smarter, more sustainable, and more productive way,” said Weidemanis. “I am deeply passionate about leading global, technology-driven businesses that help customers advance their goals and make a meaningful, positive impact on society. I look forward to leveraging my experience and the foundation George and the team have built to deliver on the company’s full potential for customers, employees and shareholders.”
Weidemanis most recently served as executive vice president for diagnostics and China at Danaher, where he was responsible for the operational leadership of an approximately $15 billion group across eight technology businesses. Earlier, he held executive positions at Mettler Toledo and the ABB Group. Weidemanis has lived and worked in the U.S., Europe, and Asia over the course of his career.