Hackensack Meridian CEO Will Retire in 2027
The leadership change will trigger a search for a new head of New Jersey’s largest health system.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Healthcare
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Robert Garrett will retire as CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health on June 30, 2027. The organization's Board of Trustees has launched a national search to name his successor by March 2027.
Why it matters
This transition marks a turning point for the state's dominant hospital operator as it manages a portfolio of 18 hospitals and 500 patient care sites. Operators in the sector are tracking the succession to see how the system’s growth strategy might shift under new leadership.
The system currently operates 18 hospitals and 500 patient care sites across New Jersey. Additionally, the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine has trained more than 500 doctors since its 2018 opening.
The players
Robert Garrett
The departing CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health who steered the organization following its 2016 merger.
Hackensack Meridian Health
A major New Jersey health system that operates 18 hospitals and a medical school.
The details
Robert Garrett will remain in his role until the end of the transition period to ensure continuity of operations. The network's scale follows its 2016 formation, though it has faced regulatory challenges to further expansion, such as the 2022 decision to abandon a planned merger with Englewood Hospital. The incoming leader will be tasked with overseeing the system's expansive clinical and educational footprint.
Timeline
2016: The Hackensack University Health Network and Meridian Health merged.
2018: The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine opened in Nutley.
2022: A planned merger with Englewood Hospital was dropped.
March 2027: The Board of Trustees aims to name a new CEO.
June 30, 2027: Robert Garrett officially retires as CEO.
Market Landscape
This transition follows the 2022 collapse of the Hackensack Meridian Health and Englewood Hospital merger, which marked a notable regulatory check on the system's consolidation. The incoming leadership will navigate a health sector where further large-scale hospital mergers remain under intense regulatory scrutiny.
Business owners in the region should monitor the pending leadership shift to gauge potential changes in provider contracting or local healthcare investment. Pay attention to the successor's public strategy updates, as these will signal whether the network will focus on internal integration or attempt new expansion efforts.
The takeaway
Large-scale organizational successions in healthcare often signal a shift in regional competitive strategy. Operators should keep the March 2027 announcement date on their radar to assess if a new executive changes the system's procurement, partnership, or expansion policies.
What happens next
The Board of Trustees expects to name a successor by March 2027, followed by an official handoff on June 30, 2027.
Further reading
For more on the changing landscape of regional hospital operations, visit Healthcare.
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