Atomo Diagnostics Limited (ASX: AT1), a company specialising in the design and manufacture of rapid diagnostic test devices for professional and consumer use, announced a significant executive leadership transition today. Managing Director and CEO Mr John Kelly will step down from his role as both a director and CEO, effective 19 August 2026. This change comes as the Board seeks to reposition the company’s executive leadership to better reflect its evolving international commercial footprint and a strategic shift.
As a co-founder, Mr Kelly was instrumental in developing Atomo’s core technology, launching its initial award-winning HIV product, securing its ASX listing, and establishing its international commercial platform. Under his leadership, Atomo underwent significant transformation, expanding its customer base and commercial opportunities globally, with commercial activity and potential now concentrated in the United States and Europe. The Board acknowledged Mr Kelly’s foundational contribution in building the company from inception to its current international scale.
In response to this accelerating shift, the Board has appointed US-based Dr. Cheri Walker as interim CEO, effective immediately. Dr. Walker has served on Atomo’s Board of Directors since 2022 and chaired the Audit and Risk Committee for the past year. With over twenty-five years’ experience as a senior executive and entrepreneur in life science and diagnostic companies, her expertise in commercial execution, strategy, and investor relations aligns with the company’s move towards a more commercial and sales-driven emphasis. Her US base specifically reflects the Board’s strategy to position executive leadership closer to Atomo’s primary commercial markets in the US and Europe. A global search process for a permanent CEO will be commenced in due course.
To ensure a smooth transition, Mr Kelly has agreed to support Dr. Walker as interim CEO, facilitating knowledge transfer and strategic priorities. For this support, he will receive an additional three months’ salary, along with fourteen weeks’ salary upon cessation of his employment as CEO. Non-Executive Chair Mr Cook expressed gratitude for Mr Kelly’s “outstanding contribution” over 15 years, while Mr Kelly reflected on the privilege of leading Atomo, stating his pride in the company’s achievements in improving lives globally.
