Bausch + Lomb appoints board chair Thomas Appio as interim CEO after Brent Saunders departs

Bausch + Lomb announced that board chair Thomas Appio will serve as interim chief executive, taking over immediately from Brent Saunders, who is leaving the role.

Appio, who has held several leadership positions at the company since 2010 and became board chair in August, was praised for his deep knowledge of the business and global leadership experience. The company said his background positions him to build on momentum and guide the next phase of growth.

Analyst Daniel Clark of Leerink Partners noted that, despite the unexpected change, the firm remains confident in its fundamental trajectory and highlighted the recent raise in the 2026 earnings outlook as evidence of growing operating momentum.