McMullen to be the next CEO of Agilent

Sullivan will remain as an advisor through the end of the company's fiscal year, Oct. 31, 2015, when he will retire. As a first step in the transition, Agilent's board of directors has appointed McMullen president and chief operating officer, effective immediately. "This transition is the culmination of our succession planning, and comes at a time of strength as Agilent begins to deliver the shareholder benefits of the recent spinoff of its electronic measurement business," said James Cullen, chairman of Agilent's board of directors. "Bill has been an excellent CEO, providing strong leadership in evolving Agilent's portfolio from diversified technology to its current focus on life sciences, diagnostics and applied markets. He has exceptional vision and an extraordinary drive to achieve outstanding results." William Sullivan, has been president and CEO of Agilent since March 2005. He joined Hewlett-Packard, Agilent's predecessor company, in 1976. "I am very proud of what our teams have accomplished over the past 10 years," said Sullivan. "Agilent's re-launch is the perfect time to begin the CEO transition. Mike is an excellent choice to lead the company. He transformed CAG, reshaping its portfolio and championing key acquisitions that have resulted in a consistent, market-leading record of profitable growth." "Mike has the depth of experience, market knowledge and inspiring leadership style that will make him an outstanding CEO," Sullivan added. "It is a great opportunity to further leverage the skills of an Agilent executive with an exceptional track record." As president and COO, McMullen will be responsible for the company's businesses, CAG and Life Sciences and Diagnostics Group, Order Fulfillment and the newly formed Agilent CrossLab Group, as well as the global organization that houses IT, workplace services, global sourcing and logistics.