Charles River Laboratories is shaking up its front office again, bringing in two senior hires as the Wilmington life-sciences firm continues a C-suite overhaul ahead of a planned CEO exit. Glenn G. Coleman is set to take over as chief financial officer in April, and Kerry Dailey will step in as the company’s first chief legal officer at the end of March. The moves land as longtime CEO James C. Foster prepares to step down after more than 30 years at the helm, and company leaders say the additions are aimed at tightening finance, legal and governance while Charles River works through a slower revenue year.
Who’s joining and when
In a company press release, Charles River said Glenn G. Coleman will become Corporate Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer on April 6, taking charge of the firm’s global finance operation, including accounting, treasury and investor relations. Kerry Dailey will join as Corporate Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer on March 30, overseeing legal, compliance, corporate communications, government relations, security and ESG. Michael G. Knell, who has served as interim CFO since September 2025, will return to his prior job as corporate senior vice president and chief accounting officer. The appointments were announced via Business Wire.
Why the shuffle matters
The leadership changes follow a strategic review and modest revenue pressure. Charles River reported $4.02 billion in total revenue for fiscal 2025, a 0.9% decline from 2024. The company’s Form 10-K also details a May 2025 Cooperation Agreement with a large shareholder that prompted a board-level strategic review, along with impairment charges and restructuring activity that weighed on operating income last year. The same filing notes that James C. Foster intends to step down as CEO effective May 5, 2026, which helps explain the accelerated executive realignment. Full financial and governance context is laid out in the company’s latest Form 10-K, filed with the SEC.
What’s next
The new executives will arrive as Charles River heads into its May annual meeting and planned CEO succession, with management signaling that the hires are central to delivering cost savings, stricter governance and a clearer capital-allocation roadmap. Local business coverage has tracked both the C-suite moves and the activist investor dynamics that helped trigger the strategic review; for added context, see reporting by the Boston Business Journal and the company’s SEC filings. For Wilmington, the shakeup underlines that the area remains a hub for life-sciences leadership even as Charles River works through a transition year.
