Baxter Appoints John Rogers as CFO, Subject to U.S. Work Visa Approval
Baxter International announced the appointment of John Rogers as its new CFO, with an expected start date of Oct. 1, contingent on his securing a U.S. work visa. Rogers, 58, previously served as CFO at Smith+Nephew and WPP. He will succeed Anita Zielinski, who leaves Sept. 15 to join Cardinal Health. CEO Andrew Hider will act as interim CFO in the interim period.
Deerfield, Illinois-based medical device maker Baxter International has named John Rogers as its next chief financial officer, according to a securities filing and press release issued Wednesday. Rogers, 58, most recently served as CFO of Smith+Nephew, a medical technology firm, and previously held the same role at advertising giant WPP.
Rogers' first day is expected to be Oct. 1, but the appointment is "contingent upon you seeking the proper visa and/or work permits to enable you to legally work in the United States for Baxter," according to an Aug. 18 offer letter included in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing.
As part of the transition, Baxter's CEO Andrew Hider will temporarily step in as interim CFO, filling the gap left by Anita Zielinski, who will leave the company on Sept. 15. Zielinski, who also serves as Baxter's chief accounting officer and controller, is set to join Dublin, Ohio-based Cardinal Health as chief accounting officer in November. She had been serving as Baxter's interim finance chief since former CFO Joel Grade stepped down in March.
Leadership Transition Amid Restructuring
Rogers joins Baxter at a time when the company is navigating significant restructuring initiatives, including shrinking its manufacturing footprint and divesting from its Kidney Care businesses, as detailed in the company's 2025 10-K filing dated Feb. 12.
In the most recent quarter, Baxter reported net income of $126 million, a 38% increase from $91 million in the year-earlier period. Net sales rose 5% to $2.96 billion for the quarter ended June 30.
Hider expressed confidence in Rogers' ability to help address the company's current challenges. "John is a proven global finance executive with extensive operational expertise and a successful track record leading complex transformation initiatives," Hider said in a statement in Wednesday's release. "He is an ideal fit for Baxter as we continue to stabilize the business, strengthen our balance sheet and drive a culture of continuous improvement."
The CFO position is based in Deerfield and is not remote. Rogers is expected to relocate there once he obtains authorization to work in the U.S. If he lacks authorization by his first day, he will work from Baxter's offices in the U.K. "pending the relevant visa and authorization to work in the United States," according to the filing.