Duato will succeed Alex Gorsky, who will step down from his role as executive chairman following a brief transitional period.

The healthcare conglomerate is in the middle of the biggest shake-up in its 135-year history, spinning off its consumer health business under the name Kenvue.

J&J veteran Duato replaced Gorsky as CEO earlier this year after holding a variety of roles during his more than 30 years at the company.

He also took a leading role in J&J's COVID-19 response and helped shape its pharmaceutical business strategy.

Gorsky also started his J&J career over three decades ago as a sales representative with Janssen Pharmaceuticals in 1988, and had been at the helm of the company for nearly a decade. During his tenure, J&J's market capitalization rose to over $460 billion from nearly $180 billion.

(Reporting by Leroy Leo in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)