Herbalife Announces CEO Transition

Herbalife announced that Stephan Gratziani will transition from his role as Chief Executive Officer, effective October 31, 2026. Following the transition, Gratziani will continue supporting Herbalife as a consultant focused on strategy and business development. He will also return his primary focus to his independent distributorship of nearly 700,000 distributors and preferred members.

The board of directors has formed a committee to oversee the appointment of a new CEO. John DeSimone, the company’s chief financial officer, will serve as interim CEO.

Gratziani joined Herbalife as chief strategy officer in August 2023, under an initial two-and-a-half-year agreement, at a time when the company was navigating a challenging post-pandemic period that contributed to 12 consecutive quarters of decline. Since then, Herbalife has returned to growth and established a stronger foundation for the future, the company reported.

“Over the past several years, we have established a clear strategy and strengthened the company’s focus on our distributors and the markets they serve,” said Gratziani. “With the business now having returned to growth and a strong foundation in place, this is the right time for the company to enter its next phase, with an increased focus on execution and operations across our complex global company. I remain deeply committed to Herbalife and look forward to supporting the company as a consultant and returning to my roots as a distributor, while devoting more time to my family.”

“Stephan provided us with a vision for our Herbalife community and a path toward becoming the leader in health and wellness and in the personal business opportunity we provide. I am personally grateful, as is the entire board, for the incredible investment of time, energy and passion he has made on behalf of Herbalife and all our stakeholders,” said Michael O. Johnson, executive chairman and chairman of the board. “I look forward to Stephan’s ongoing contributions as we continue advancing the strategy he helped establish, with an increasing emphasis on execution and operating performance.”