GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt announced today the appointment of John Flannery as president and CEO of GE Healthcare. Flannery succeeds John Dineen, who is leaving GE. The appointment is effective immediately.

Flannery, 53, was most recently senior vice president of business development for GE. In the past year, Flannery led business development activity related to the purchase of Alstom’s energy and transmission businesses, the spinoff of Retail Finance and the sale of GE Appliances. Prior to that, Flannery GE India as president and CEO and also served as a senior leader at GE Capital.

"With 27 years of experience across GE corporate, GGO and Capital, John has a track record of growing businesses with a special emphasis on global expansion," Immelt said, in a press statement announcing the move. "He has a deep understanding of GE’s industrial businesses and strategy. He’s the right person to lead the next chapter at GE Healthcare."

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Dineen, 51, has had a highly successful career at GE with senior positions in GE Industrial Systems, Plastics, Transportation and Healthcare. After seven years leading the healthcare unit and 28 years at GE, he has decided to look at new leadership opportunities outside GE.

"John has been a highly respected and influential leader in our company for many years," Immelt said. "John successfully led GE Healthcare during a period of growth, portfolio diversification and market volatility. Thanks to his leadership, the business today is a global leader with a strong brand and great technology."

GE Healthcare, a $20 billion business, bills itself as the world's leading manufacturer of medical imaging devices; life sciences tools to enable the next generation of bio therapeutics; medical diagnostic agents that enable personalized medicine; and healthcare IT and software tools to digitize and industrialize the healthcare industry. 

"Healthcare remains a core part of the GE portfolio," Immelt said in a press statement. "We are a market leader with deep innovation from our Global Research Center. Healthcare is an important driver for GE’s strategy in growth markets and the Industrial Internet. GE is poised to benefit as Healthcare spending continues to grow around the world."