Robert Ford

Robert Ford became CEO of Abbott Laboratories in March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning — timing that would define the early years of his tenure. He was named Chairman in 2021. A 28-year Abbott veteran who previously led the medical devices division, Ford is a Cuban-American executive who rose through the company's international operations before leading its fastest-growing business. The pandemic transformed Abbott's diagnostics division into a cash machine. The BinaxNOW rapid COVID test became one of the most widely used tests in the US, generating over $7 billion in COVID testing revenue at its peak in 2021. Ford's challenge has been managing the inevitable decline of that windfall — COVID testing revenue has fallen from billions to near-zero, creating a optical headwind for the company's overall growth numbers even as the base business accelerates. The crown jewel of Ford's Abbott is FreeStyle Libre, the continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system that has revolutionized diabetes management. Libre's revenue has grown to over $5.5 billion annually, making it the world's leading CGM brand by volume. The device, worn on the back of the arm, eliminates painful finger-prick testing for tens of millions of diabetics. Ford is betting that Libre's addressable market will expand dramatically as CGM adoption moves beyond insulin-dependent diabetics into Type 2 diabetes and even general wellness monitoring. Abbott's diversified model — spanning Libre (medical devices), nutritionals (Ensure, Similac, Pedialyte), diagnostics (Alinity platforms), and established pharmaceuticals — provides stability but also complexity. Ford must allocate capital across four distinct businesses while ensuring Libre maintains its market lead against Dexcom's competing CGM technology and potential new entrants.