Charles River Laboratories International Inc (NYSE:CRL) said its long-time chief executive, James C. Foster, will retire in May 2026, bringing to a close a 50-year career with the company, including more than three decades at the helm.
The board has unanimously selected Birgit Girshick, currently executive vice president and chief operating officer, to succeed Foster as CEO, effective May 5, 2026. Girshick will also be put forward for election to the board at the company’s 2026 annual shareholders’ meeting.
As part of the leadership transition, Foster will remain involved as a non-executive board member. The company also said Martin Mackay, who currently serves as lead independent director, will assume the role of board chair, formally separating the positions of chair and CEO.
Girshick joined Charles River in 1989 and has held the COO role since 2021. In that position, she has overseen global operations, strategic planning, operational excellence initiatives, client engagement and the company’s digital transformation efforts. Her career at Charles River has included a range of senior leadership roles across multiple business lines.
During Foster’s tenure, Charles River underwent a significant transformation, completing more than 50 acquisitions and evolving from a research models-focused business into a global contract research organization, with services now accounting for more than 80% of revenue. Annual sales grew from $307 million in 2000 to $4.0 billion in 2024, and the company joined the S&P 500 index in 2021.
Foster led a management buyout of the business from Bausch & Lomb in 1999 and guided its initial public offering a year later. According to the company, Charles River has supported the development of more than 80% of drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since 2017.
The company said the leadership transition follows an extensive, board-led succession planning process designed to ensure strategic continuity and long-term stability.