Roy Jakobs Becomes Chief Executive Officer of Philips

On October 15, 2022, Roy Jakobs officially became President and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Philips, succeeding Frans van Houten, who had led the company since 2011. His appointment was announced on August 16, 2022, and approved by shareholders at an Extraordinary General Meeting on September 30. Jakobs brought extensive international leadership experience, having joined Philips in 2010 and held senior management positions across its healthcare businesses, including Connected Care and Personal Health. His appointment marked the beginning of a new leadership phase focused on strengthening patient safety, improving product quality, restoring operational performance, and rebuilding confidence among customers, healthcare professionals, and shareholders. Roy Jakobs' appointment became an important milestone in Philips' continuing transformation into a globally focused healthcare technology company. Under his leadership, Philips placed greater emphasis on quality management, regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and customer-focused innovation. His strategic priorities included strengthening medical imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring, and connected healthcare solutions while improving the company's ability to deliver reliable medical technologies. Jakobs also promoted a more accountable organizational culture and closer collaboration with healthcare providers, regulators, and business partners. In 2023, Philips introduced a new operating model designed to simplify its structure, strengthen execution, and support sustainable growth. The October 2022 leadership transition represented a significant step toward reinforcing Philips' long-term commitment to healthcare innovation, patient well-being, and technological excellence.