CEO Jobs Come With Extra Terms
MongoDB Sets Ittycheria’s Interim CEO Package
MongoDB (MDB) signed an employment agreement on Oct. 14 with Dev Ittycheria, who ran the company as CEO from 2014 to 2025 and came back as interim president and chief executive on Sept. 28, when CJ Desai left for Meta after about 10 months. We covered that change the day it happened: MongoDB’s CEO leaves for Meta after 10 months.
The agreement replaces the advisory agreement he signed when he handed over the job in 2025. It pays Ittycheria a $500,000 salary and a $500,000 sign-on bonus, and grants him restricted stock units worth $15 million that vest in four quarterly installments through Oct. 1, 2027. He has agreed to keep working for MongoDB in some role for at least 12 months after a new CEO starts, and through at least April 1, 2028.
The board also gave chief financial officer Michael Berry a $10 million retention award in stock units that vest in three installments through April 2028. Shareholders gave Ittycheria 83% support in his latest election as a director.
MSG Sports Sets Dolan’s Post-Distribution Roles
Madison Square Garden Sports (MSGS) will rename itself MSG Knickerbockers Corp. and trade as MSGK after the Distribution. James Dolan, 70, will serve as executive chairman and chief executive of the registrant, MSGS Spinco, MSG Entertainment and Sphere Entertainment. He also remains non-executive chairman of AMC Global Media after the same distribution. Dolan carries into the split a stock up 81% over the past year.
Dolan has held chief-executive roles at Cablevision and MSG Sports, and he also sits on the boards of AMC Global Media, Sphere Entertainment and MSG Entertainment. Paul DiCicco, 51, will be executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer of the registrant and MSGS Spinco. DiCicco has served as CFO of Stephen Gould since 2023 after senior finance roles at Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment.
Bausch + Lomb Replaces Saunders With Appio
Bausch + Lomb (BLCO) said Brent Saunders left the chief executive job and the board effective Oct. 12. Thomas Appio became interim chief executive on the same date, while remaining chairman and chief executive of Bausch Health. Bausch + Lomb will pay Saunders a $75.5 million lump-sum cash payment under his separation agreement.
Saunders leaves a stock up 11% over the past year at Bausch + Lomb. Saunders, 56, previously ran Allergan and led the drugmaker’s sale to AbbVie. He also sits on the boards of SkinHealth Systems and ARS Pharmaceuticals. Appio, 64, has run Bausch Health since 2022 after a career that included Bausch + Lomb and Schering-Plough. Shareholders gave Saunders 98.7% support in his latest election as a director.
We wrote on Oct. 14 that Bausch Health, which owns 87% of Bausch + Lomb, had been reshaping the board since August and that no search for a permanent chief executive had been announced: Bausch + Lomb’s CEO exits overnight with $75.5 million, no permanent successor.
Also This Week
- Super Micro Computer (SMCI) named Mark Long CFO on Oct. 14, replacing David Weigand; the stock is down 35% over the past year.
- Science Applications International (SAIC) named Kenneth Crews CFO-elect from Northrop Grumman on Oct. 30, with the CFO title following in December 2026.
- Hamilton Lane (HLNE) made Hartley Rogers co-CEO on Oct. 12, with Erik Hirsch moving from co-CEO to executive co-chair.
- Avient (AVNT) named Michael Frank president and CEO on Oct. 7, replacing Ashish Khandpur, who will advise through December 2026.
- Harmony Biosciences (HRMY) promoted COO Peter Anastasiou to CEO effective Jan. 1, succeeding Jeffrey Dayno, who will retire from the board.
- Quantum (QMCO) terminated CFO William White effective Oct. 9 and put chief accounting officer Hiral Patel in the principal financial officer seat.
- Verastem (VSTM) named director Michael Bailey CEO effective Jan. 1, succeeding Daniel Paterson, who will retire and remain a consultant.
- IRulya Therapeutics (IRLA), newly renamed from Quince, made Brigette Roberts CEO, John Militello CFO and Keith Fandrick COO on Oct. 8.
- Polar Power (POLA) appointed Chris Mayer co-CEO effective Oct. 6, sharing the post with Arthur Sams, who remains president.
Executive Moves Filed This Week
CEO, CFO, COO, president and chair changes in SEC filings, Oct. 9–16, at U.S. companies over $500 million: 31 moves at 19 companies. Smaller companies, director and other officer moves are on the Boardroom Alpha platform.
| Company | Mkt cap | Who | Seat | In/Out | Effective | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caterpillar(CAT) | $338.2B | Denise C. Johnson | Group President, Resource Industries | Out | Nov. 1, 2026 | 8-K |
| Derrick York | Group President, Resource Industries | In | Nov. 1, 2026 | 8-K | ||
| CSX(CSX) | $90.2B | Michael A. Cory | COO | Out | Oct. 12, 2026 | 8-K |
| Super Micro Computer(SMCI) | $23.1B | Mark Long | CFO | In | Oct. 14, 2026 | 8-K |
| David Weigand | CFO | Out | Oct. 14, 2026 | 8-K | ||
| Avery Dennison(AVY) | $13.3B | Helen J. Sheirbon | President, Solutions Group | In | Nov. 3, 2026 | 8-K |
| Madison Square Garden Sports(MSGS) | $9.7B | James L. Dolan | Executive Chairman and CEO | In | 8-K | |
| Paul DiCicco | Executive Vice President, CFO and Treasurer | In | 8-K | |||
| Bausch & Lomb(BLCO) | $6.0B | Brent Saunders | CEO | Out | Oct. 12, 2026 | 8-K |
| Thomas J. Appio | CEO | In | Oct. 12, 2026 | 8-K | ||
| Science Applications International(SAIC) | $5.6B | Kenneth B. Crews | CFO | In | Dec. 7, 2026 | 8-K |
| Hamilton Lane(HLNE) | $4.6B | Hartley R. Rogers | Co-CEO | In | Oct. 12, 2026 | 8-K |
| Erik R. Hirsch | Executive Co-Chair | In | Oct. 12, 2026 | 8-K | ||
| Avient(AVNT) | $3.6B | Michael J. Frank | CEO | In | Oct. 7, 2026 | 8-K |
| Ashish K. Khandpur | CEO | Out | Oct. 7, 2026 | 8-K | ||
| Richard H. Fearon | Non-Executive Chairman | In | Oct. 9, 2026 | 8-K | ||
| Lemonade(LMND) | $3.5B | Nick Stead | CFO | In | Jan. 1, 2027 | 8-K |
| Mueller Water Products(MWA) | $3.4B | Melissa Rasmussen | CFO | Out | 8-K | |
| Marzetti(MZTI) | $2.8B | Tanya Berman | President of Retail Division | Out | Oct. 6, 2026 | 8-K |
| Pc Connection(CNXN) | $2.3B | Matthew Zafirovski | President and COO | In | Oct. 12, 2026 | 8-K |
| Timothy J. McGrath | President | Out | Oct. 12, 2026 | 8-K | ||
| Harmony Biosciences(HRMY) | $2.2B | Jeffrey M. Dayno, M.D. | CEO | Out | Dec. 31, 2026 | 8-K |
| Peter Anastasiou | President and CEO | In | Jan. 1, 2027 | 8-K | ||
| Dauch(DCH) | $1.2B | Nathan R. Iles | CFO | In | Dec. 1, 2026 | 8-K |
| Phoenix Education Partners(PXED) | $864.4M | Blair Westblom | CFO | Out | Oct. 10, 2026 | 8-K |
| Michael Cochran | CFO | In | Oct. 10, 2026 | 8-K | ||
| Quantum(QMCO) | $851.5M | William H. White | CFO | Out | Oct. 9, 2026 | 8-K |
| Verastem(VSTM) | $835.9M | Daniel W. Paterson | CEO | Out | Jan. 1, 2027 | 8-K |
| Michael P. Bailey | CEO | In | Jan. 1, 2027 | 8-K | ||
| Standard Motor Products(SMP) | $829.7M | Nathan R. Iles | CFO | Out | Oct. 30, 2026 | 8-K |
| James J. Burke | CFO | In | Oct. 30, 2026 | 8-K |
CEO, CFO and Board Turnover Trends by Role and Sector
| Role | This Week | MTD | Last 12 Mo. | Prior 12 Mo. | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO transitions | 4 | 23 | 474 | 487 | -2.7% |
| CFO transitions | 1 | 28 | 721 | 731 | -1.4% |
| Director adds | 18 | 93 | 2,661 | 2,759 | -3.6% |
| Director exits | 12 | 46 | 2,837 | 2,934 | -3.3% |
| Sector | # Co. | CEO · 30D | CEO · 1Y | CFO · 30D | CFO · 1Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Defensive | 153 | 5.9% | 27.5% | 3.3% | 26.8% |
| Basic Materials | 173 | 3.5% | 20.2% | 3.5% | 21.4% |
| Energy | 130 | 0.8% | 19.2% | 3.8% | 25.4% |
| Communication Services | 130 | 1.5% | 15.4% | 5.4% | 23.1% |
| Industrials | 424 | 2.6% | 15.3% | 3.1% | 23.6% |
| Consumer Cyclical | 346 | 2.3% | 14.7% | 2.3% | 22.8% |
| Healthcare | 774 | 1.8% | 14.6% | 2.2% | 20.0% |
| Technology | 480 | 1.3% | 13.1% | 1.5% | 20.8% |
| Financial Services | 576 | 2.1% | 11.1% | 2.1% | 15.5% |
| Real Estate | 220 | 2.7% | 8.6% | 2.3% | 14.1% |