PRINCETON, N.J. — May 5, 2026 — Leads & Copy — Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: IART) has appointed Stuart M. Essig, chairman of its Board of Directors, as president and chief executive officer, effective May 1, 2026. Essig will continue to serve as chairman.
The company also announced the appointment of Michael McBreen, currently executive vice president, president, Codman Specialty Surgical, as chief commercial officer.
Essig succeeds Mojdeh Poul, who is pursuing other opportunities.
Essig brings more than 30 years of experience in the medical technology and healthcare industries. He has served as chairman of the board since June 2012 and as a director since 1997. He previously served as Integra’s chief executive officer from 1997 through early 2012 and as its president from 1997 until 2010. For the past two years, Essig has been actively engaged in the business through his executive chairman role, with direct involvement in key company priorities as well as operational and quality matters.
Barbara Hill, presiding director, said Essig brings unmatched knowledge of Integra, its businesses, and its people. She added that the board has full confidence in his leadership as Integra accelerates execution, strengthens customer and commercial focus, and builds on the progress already underway across its priorities for 2026. The Board believes this is the right leadership step for the Company’s next phase, and as such, this is not an interim role, and the company does not intend to initiate a CEO search.
Essig said he is honored to once again serve as Integra’s president and CEO. He added that he returns with a clear mandate from the Board and a long-term commitment to lead the Company through its next chapter. In his role as executive chairman, he has seen firsthand the strength of the team and the meaningful progress underway across the company’s priorities, particularly in quality, compliance, operational resilience, and the transformation of the organization.
Essig said that as he steps back into the CEO role, his focus will be on accelerating execution, strengthening the company’s customer and commercial focus, and reinforcing a culture and operating discipline that will drive sustained performance and deliver long-term shareholder value. He added that he understands what it takes to run the company and is deeply committed to leading Integra forward.
Essig also thanked Poul for her numerous contributions to the company and for the progress made during her tenure. Under her leadership, the Company advanced several strategic and operational priorities, including enterprise-wide portfolio and program prioritization, a risk-based approach to quality remediation work, operational resiliency improvements, and the more recent transformation and business process optimization efforts. He added that these initiatives are progressing well, and the company remains fully committed to them.
In the newly created role of chief commercial officer, McBreen will help drive the next phase of Integra’s performance by further elevating the commercial organization and ensuring that customer and market-facing priorities are central to how the company operates and makes decisions. Both divisions and the entire global commercial structure will report to McBreen.
Essig said McBreen is exceptionally well-suited for this role with deep commercial relationships. He added that McBreen brings more than 30 years of commercial experience in the medical technology industry, and his appointment is an important part of how the company moves forward. Essig said this strategic leadership step will help sharpen execution, strengthen the company’s connection to its customers and markets, and support stronger performance across the Company. Integra intends to lead this next chapter with urgency, transparency, and a clear focus on execution.
Essig will address the leadership transition during Integra’s first quarter 2026 financial results conference call, which will take place this morning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. A live webcast will be available on the Investors section of the Company’s website.
Integra LifeSciences (Nasdaq: IART) is a global medical technology leader dedicated to restoring lives. The company is advancing transformational care through impactful innovation in neurosurgery, tissue reconstruction, and specialized surgical solutions that demand exceptional expertise and precision.
Source: Integra LifeSciences
