Founder John Kelly Leaves Atomo as Dr Cheri Walker Becomes Interim CEO Amid Global Focus

Founder John Kelly Exits as CEO Amid Strategic Leadership Shift

Atomo Diagnostics (ASX:AT1) has marked the end of an era with the departure of co-founder and Managing Director John Kelly, who stepped down on 19 August 2026. Kelly’s exit follows a board decision to reposition executive leadership in line with the company’s expanding international commercial footprint, particularly in the United States and Europe.

Kelly was instrumental in developing Atomo’s core diagnostic technology and launching its initial award-winning HIV self-test product. Over his 15-year tenure, he guided the company from a start-up to a publicly listed entity with a growing customer base and international commercial presence.

US-Based Dr Cheri Walker Takes the Helm as Interim CEO

Stepping into the CEO role on an interim basis is Dr Cheri Walker, a US-based senior executive with over 25 years of experience in life sciences and diagnostics. Dr Walker has been on Atomo’s board since 2022 and chaired its Audit and Risk Committee for the past year. Her appointment reflects the board’s intent to align leadership geographically closer to Atomo’s primary commercial markets.

Dr Walker brings a strong commercial and strategic background, including expertise in investor relations, licensing, M&A, and regulatory quality systems such as IVD/IVDR/MDR/MDSAP/ISO13485. Her experience in commercialising diagnostic products across the US and Europe positions her well to lead Atomo through its next growth phase, shifting from a technical development focus to scaling sales and market presence internationally.

Transition Support and Future Leadership Plans

To ensure continuity, Kelly has agreed to assist Dr Walker during the transition period, with the company providing him additional salary payments totaling 14 weeks post-cessation and three months’ salary for transition support. The board has also announced a formal global search for a permanent CEO to succeed Dr Walker in due course.

Non-Executive Chair Patrick Cook paid tribute to Kelly’s foundational role and entrepreneurial leadership that brought Atomo from concept to a publicly listed company with a robust platform for growth. Cook emphasised the company’s pivot toward commercial execution and scaling market opportunities internationally, underscoring the importance of Dr Walker’s appointment in this context.

Commercial Growth Focus Amid Product Pipeline Expansion

Atomo is currently transitioning from focusing on supplying technology components within other diagnostic products to building its own proprietary pipeline for professional and consumer use. This strategic evolution aligns with the company’s expanding commercial ambitions, particularly in the US, where regulatory approvals such as the FebriDx FDA CLIA waiver have unlocked significant market potential.

Dr Walker’s US base and commercial expertise are expected to be critical as Atomo seeks to capitalise on these opportunities and accelerate growth beyond its recent 40% revenue increase to $5.3 million, driven by HIV self-test sales and new OEM orders.