Lake Forest-based Cooper Cos. reshuffled its executive ranks Wednesday in the wake of its $1.2 billion buy of rival Ocular Sciences Inc.
Robert Weiss, previously Cooper’s chief financial officer, now is executive vice president and chief operating officer, reporting to Chief Executive Thomas Bender.
The promotion could put Weiss in line to succeed Bender, who turns 66 in early February.
Steven Neil, who was Ocular’s chief financial officer, now is vice president and chief financial officer of the newly merged company, reporting to Weiss.
Cooper had said earlier this month that a member of the Ocular management team would be joining the team of the newly combined company.
Also, the Cooper-Ocular combination will allow the maker of contact lenses and women’s surgical products to improve its succession planning process, Bender said.
“We have stronger backups in key jobs,” Bender said.
Separately, Cooper also backed up previously announced first-quarter earnings projections of $22.3 million to $23.7 million on revenue of $149 million to $153 million during a day it hosted for analysts in New York.
Cooper’s set to report earnings March 9.
