Carl Zeiss Meditec AG has confirmed that Bronwyn Brophy O’Connor, currently CEO of the Vitrolife Group in Sweden, will assume the role of CEO on December 1, 2026. On the same date, she will join the Executive Board of Carl Zeiss AG with responsibility for the Medical Technology segment. Her appointment as successor to current CEO Andreas Pecher was first announced in May 2026, and the confirmation of her start date marks a critical step in the company’s leadership transition.
Brophy O’Connor brings a wealth of international experience in the medical technology industry. She began her career at Johnson & Johnson in 1997, serving in roles of increasing seniority and ultimately as General Manager of the Cardiovascular Care Group for the U.K. & Ireland. She then joined Covidien, which was later acquired by Medtronic, where she served as Vice President Early Technologies EMEA and later as President Women’s Health in Boston. In 2019, she joined Thermo Fisher Scientific as President for the EMEA region and was promoted to Global President of the Immunodiagnostics Division in Uppsala, Sweden. Since 2023, she has been CEO of the Vitrolife Group, a global medtech company listed on the NASDAQ Stockholm.
Her appointment comes at a pivotal time for Carl Zeiss Meditec, a leading medical technology company that supplies innovative technologies and application-oriented solutions to help doctors improve patients’ quality of life. With 5,784 employees worldwide and revenue of EUR 2,228 million in fiscal year 2024/25, the company is focused on advancing eye disease diagnosis and treatment as well as microsurgery visualization. Brophy O’Connor’s customer-focused and innovation-driven approach is expected to accelerate the company’s transformation and strengthen its competitive position.
“I am delighted to join Carl Zeiss Meditec and the ZEISS Group. The company combines deep scientific expertise, close customer relationships and a strong commitment to improving patient care. I look forward to working with our teams and customers to build on these strengths, advance innovation and successfully shape the next stage of the company’s transformation,” said Brophy O’Connor.
Peter Kameritsch, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, welcomed the appointment, stating, “With Bronwyn Brophy O’Connor, Carl Zeiss Meditec is gaining an internationally experienced medtech executive who will bring a strong customer and innovation perspective to the company.” Dr. Michael Bolle, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Carl Zeiss AG, also expressed gratitude to Andreas Pecher for his interim leadership and confidence that Brophy O’Connor will further advance the strategy and transformation of the Medical Technology segment.
Effective December 1, 2026, the Management Board of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG will comprise Bronwyn Brophy O’Connor as CEO and Justus Wehmer as CFO. The Executive Board of Carl Zeiss AG will include Andreas Pecher (President and CEO), Stefan Müller (CFO), Bronwyn Brophy O’Connor (Head of the ZEISS Medical Technology segment), Sven Hermann (Head of the ZEISS Consumer Markets segment), Dr. Frank Rohmund (Head of the ZEISS Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology segment), and Dr. Marc Wawerla (Head of the ZEISS Industrial Quality & Research segment). This new lineup is poised to drive continued growth and innovation across the ZEISS Group. For more information, visit the ZEISS newsroom and the Carl Zeiss Meditec website.
