Guerbet's New Era: Leadership Shake-Up Marks 100th Anniversary

VILLEPINTE, FRANCE – May 22, 2026 – As Guerbet celebrates its 100th anniversary, the global medical imaging specialist has announced a significant overhaul of its Board of Directors, signaling a new strategic chapter. Following its Annual General Meeting, the company confirmed the appointment of Mr. Antoine Fady as an independent director and the new Chairman of the Board. The move, part of a planned leadership transition, is complemented by the appointment of three new directors representing the founding family's majority shareholding.

This leadership refresh comes at a pivotal moment for the French firm, which is navigating a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape marked by technological disruption, operational challenges, and intense competition. The new board composition aims to balance external strategic expertise with the long-term vision of its controlling family, positioning Guerbet for its next century of innovation.

An Independent Voice at the Helm

The centerpiece of the announcement is the appointment of Antoine Fady as Chairman. An engineer with an MBA from INSEAD, Fady brings a wealth of experience from leadership roles in complex, regulated industrial sectors. His decade-long tenure as CEO of Flint Group, a global leader in printing materials, was marked by major strategic transformation and value creation. Prior to that, he held senior executive positions at industrial giants ICI and Akzo Nobel.

Fady's appointment as an independent Chairman is particularly noteworthy for Guerbet, a company where the founding family maintains significant control with over 71% of voting rights. This move suggests a deliberate effort to enhance corporate governance and introduce an external perspective to guide strategy. His background in steering companies through restructuring and growth phases will be critical as Guerbet executes its own transformation plan, which was initiated in 2025 to boost sales and restore profitability.

In a statement, Mr. Fady acknowledged the company's legacy and future ambitions. “I would like to thank Guerbet’s Board of Directors for the trust they have placed in me by appointing me as Chairman,” he stated. “I am honored to join a group that is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, with a unique heritage and globally recognized expertise in medical imaging. Alongside Karim Boussebaa and the entire team, I will work closely with all the directors to support the Group in implementing its strategy and pursuing its long-term growth.”

His role terminates the censor position he held since March, immediately integrating him into the core of Guerbet's governance structure. His experience also includes non-executive directorships at Roquette and XSYS, underscoring his deep expertise in corporate governance.

Balancing Heritage, Influence, and Governance

While Fady brings an independent voice, the influence of Guerbet's founding family remains firmly entrenched. The General Meeting also approved the appointment of three new directors representing the majority shareholder: Ms. Emmanuelle Louvet, Mr. Vincent Dagommer, and Mr. Olivier Guerbet. They replace outgoing directors Nicolas Louvet, Marc Massiot, and Carine Dagommer.

This ensures the family's vision remains central to the company's trajectory, a strategy that has historically allowed Guerbet to maintain its independence against larger industry competitors. The new nine-member board now consists of three independent directors, including Fady, alongside directors representing the family and an employee representative. This structure creates a dynamic where Fady's external, transformation-focused expertise will be balanced against the family's deep-rooted commitment to the company's long-term stability and legacy.

This balance will be crucial as Guerbet navigates both internal and external pressures. The company's Q1 2026 results showed a modest 2.6% increase in like-for-like sales, but reported revenue was down 1.5% due to adverse foreign exchange effects. Furthermore, operations have been hampered by disruptions at its industrial site in Raleigh, North Carolina, with a full return to normal production not expected until the end of the year.

Charting a Course Through a Market in Flux

The new leadership team takes the reins as the medical imaging market undergoes a profound transformation. The rise of artificial intelligence has moved from an experimental concept to a standard clinical tool in 2026, automating tasks and enhancing diagnostic precision. Guerbet is actively investing in this space, aiming to become a major player in AI applied to oncology by embedding lesion detection modules into major imaging systems.

Simultaneously, there is a growing demand for safer and more efficient diagnostics. Guerbet is banking on its new contrast agent, Elucirem™ (Gadopiclenol), to capture market share. The product, which requires half the dose of gadolinium compared to conventional agents, directly addresses long-standing concerns about gadolinium exposure. The company is aggressively promoting Elucirem™, recently launching it in Mexico, Portugal, and Belgium, and is working to secure formulary wins in major U.S. hospital networks.

Beyond diagnostic imaging, Guerbet's Interventional Radiology division continues to see growth driven by its 40-year-old product, Lipiodol, a standard in liver cancer treatment. The company is actively exploring new applications for Lipiodol, further diversifying its revenue streams. The new board under Fady's chairmanship will be tasked with prioritizing these R&D investments and ensuring they translate into sustainable commercial success, particularly as the company deepens its presence in high-growth markets like China.

As Guerbet turns the page on its first century, the revamped board reflects a company at a crossroads. The strategic appointments underscore a commitment to modernizing governance and accelerating transformation while honoring a rich heritage of family stewardship and scientific innovation. The challenge for Antoine Fady and the new board will be to successfully meld these elements, steering Guerbet toward continued relevance and growth in an increasingly complex and competitive global market.