Jonathan Pratt- CEO of QIAGEN and a Leader in Life Sciences Technology

Jonathan M. Pratt, widely known as Jon Pratt, is the chief executive officer of QIAGEN, a global life sciences and molecular diagnostics company. He assumed the role on September 1, 2026, bringing more than 25 years of international leadership experience across laboratory technology, analytical instruments, healthcare, and bioprocessing. Before joining QIAGEN, Pratt served as president and CEO of Filtration Group and held senior leadership positions at Waters Corporation, Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, and Pall Corporation.

His appointment places an experienced life sciences executive at the helm of a company whose technologies help researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and clinical laboratories turn biological samples into meaningful molecular insights. Pratt's background in commercial execution, portfolio management, and global operations aligns closely with QIAGEN's focus on profitable growth and scientific innovation. 

Who Is Jonathan Pratt?

Jonathan M. Pratt is a business executive with a career spanning laboratory equipment, analytical instruments, life sciences, and industrial technology. He has led international businesses that supply scientific instruments, consumables, software, and services to customers across healthcare, research, and industrial markets.

Pratt became CEO of QIAGEN on September 1, 2026, succeeding Thierry Bernard. QIAGEN announced his appointment on August 24, 2026, following a search for a leader with relevant industry knowledge and a record of improving business performance.

The company selected Pratt for his understanding of its markets and his experience strengthening commercial execution and operational performance across global businesses. His appointment reflects the importance of combining scientific and technological expertise with disciplined management as QIAGEN develops its product portfolio and pursues sustainable growth. 

Education and Early Career

Pratt holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom and an MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business. His education combines a scientific foundation with formal business training—an appropriate combination for a career leading companies that develop and supply technology for scientific and clinical applications. 

His professional experience developed across businesses serving laboratories, healthcare organizations, and industrial customers. These markets require companies to manage technically sophisticated products, maintain high standards of quality and reliability, and build lasting relationships with customers whose workflows depend on specialized equipment and services.

Over time, Pratt moved into increasingly senior leadership roles, gaining experience in commercial strategy, global operations, organizational development, and portfolio management.

Career Before QIAGEN

Pall Corporation: Building Life Sciences and Industrial Experience

Pratt held senior leadership positions at Pall Corporation, a company specializing in filtration, separation, and purification technologies. Pall serves markets that include life sciences, biopharmaceutical manufacturing, and industrial processing.

The business operates in areas where product performance, reliability, and technical expertise are essential to customers. Pratt's time at Pall contributed to his experience managing technology-led businesses and serving customers with specialized operational requirements. QIAGEN has identified his Pall experience as an important part of his leadership background. 

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences: Leading a Scientific Technology Business

Pratt later served as president of Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, a Danaher operating company.

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences develops laboratory instruments and solutions used in research, biotechnology, and clinical applications. Its portfolio supports workflows involving cell analysis, particle characterization, and laboratory automation.

Leading a business in this field requires an understanding of both the technology and the needs of the scientists, laboratory managers, and organizations using it. Pratt's experience at Beckman Coulter gave him direct leadership exposure to a market closely related to QIAGEN's own life sciences and laboratory technology businesses. 

Waters Corporation: Analytical Instruments and Global Commercial Leadership

At Waters Corporation, Pratt served as senior vice president of the Waters Division. Waters develops analytical instruments and software used by pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic, and other laboratories.

The role added experience in analytical technology and the commercial management of scientific products. It also strengthened his background in markets where customers depend on accurate measurements, dependable instruments, technical support, and integrated workflows.

This experience is particularly relevant to QIAGEN, whose customers use molecular testing and sample analysis technologies across scientific research and clinical diagnostics. 

Filtration Group: CEO and Business Transformation

Before joining QIAGEN, Pratt served as president and CEO of Filtration Group, a global filtration and separation science business.

QIAGEN described Filtration Group as a company with more than 7,500 employees and annual sales exceeding $2 billion. Pratt led the business through continued development and the completion of its sale to Parker-Hannifin Corporation in August 2026.

Leading a business of this scale required oversight of commercial activities, operations, organizational performance, and strategic priorities. Completing the sale also marked a significant corporate milestone immediately before Pratt moved to QIAGEN. 

His move from Filtration Group to QIAGEN brought his career back to the life sciences and laboratory technology markets, where his earlier experience had prepared him to lead a global company serving scientific and healthcare customers.

Jonathan Pratt as CEO of QIAGEN

QIAGEN is a Netherlands-based company specializing in molecular testing and related technologies. Its products and services help customers extract, analyze, and interpret molecular information from biological samples.

The company's approach, known as Sample to Insight, brings together several parts of the scientific workflow:

• Sample technologies: Tools for isolating and processing DNA, RNA, and proteins from biological materials.

• Assay technologies: Solutions that prepare biological molecules for analysis and support molecular testing.

• Bioinformatics: Software and data-analysis capabilities that help customers interpret complex molecular information.

• Automation: Systems that integrate laboratory processes into more efficient and consistent workflows.

QIAGEN serves customers in life sciences research, pharmaceutical development, industrial applications, and clinical healthcare. As of June 30, 2026, the company reported approximately 5,500 employees across more than 35 locations and more than 500,000 customers worldwide. 

Priorities for QIAGEN's Next Phase

When QIAGEN announced Pratt's appointment, the company emphasized his experience in commercial execution, portfolio management, operations, and organizational development. Pratt said he intended to listen to employees and customers, understand the business, sharpen strategic choices, and strengthen execution.

These statements establish the initial direction of his leadership, rather than a record of results already achieved. His key challenges include translating the company's scientific capabilities into sustained commercial growth, managing resources effectively, and responding to customer needs across research and clinical markets. 

Several areas will be important to his leadership:

1. Strengthening commercial execution

QIAGEN serves a broad international customer base, from academic research laboratories to pharmaceutical companies and clinical healthcare providers. Improving commercial execution means ensuring the company's products reach the right customers and that its sales and support organizations respond effectively to their needs.

2. Developing an integrated product portfolio

QIAGEN combines sample preparation, molecular testing, bioinformatics, and automation. Coordinating these capabilities can help customers streamline laboratory workflows and obtain useful results from complex biological samples.

3. Maintaining operational discipline

Pratt's background leading large global businesses is relevant to QIAGEN's efforts to improve efficiency while continuing to invest in innovation. The challenge is to manage costs and resources without undermining product quality, customer service, or long-term development.

4. Supporting profitable growth

QIAGEN has stated its commitment to solid profitable growth. Pratt's commercial and operational experience will be important as the company evaluates opportunities across its markets and directs investment toward its strategic priorities.

These are the principal business areas to watch as Pratt establishes his leadership. The longer-term impact will depend on QIAGEN's execution, product development, customer demand, and competitive environment.

Leadership Style and Business Philosophy

Pratt's career suggests a practical, execution-focused approach to leadership. His experience spans companies with different products and customer bases, but several common themes connect those roles.

Customer understanding: Scientific and laboratory technology businesses depend on products that work reliably within customers' research and clinical processes. Pratt has emphasized learning from customers and employees as an initial priority at QIAGEN.

Commercial performance: His leadership background includes responsibility for global businesses and commercial execution. At QIAGEN, that experience will be relevant to converting the company's technical capabilities into customer adoption and business results.

Operational improvement: Pratt has led organizations where managing performance, processes, and resources is essential. This experience aligns with QIAGEN's focus on operational efficiency and profitable growth.

Strategic focus: His work across laboratory technologies, filtration, and life sciences has required leadership in specialized markets. At QIAGEN, the task is to identify where the company can create the greatest value while maintaining its commitment to scientific quality.

These themes are grounded in his professional record and the priorities described in QIAGEN's announcement. They should be understood as indicators of his management experience, not as a substitute for evaluating his future results. 

What Jonathan Pratt's Appointment Means for QIAGEN

Pratt brings a combination of scientific-industry knowledge and broad business leadership to QIAGEN. His experience at Waters and Beckman Coulter Life Sciences gives him familiarity with laboratory customers and analytical technologies, while his work at Pall and Filtration Group adds experience in global operations and specialized technology businesses.

That combination is relevant to a company operating across molecular diagnostics and life sciences research. QIAGEN must serve different customer needs while coordinating a portfolio that spans sample processing, testing, data interpretation, and automation.

His appointment also comes as QIAGEN continues to review its strategic opportunities and pursue its stated growth objectives. The central question for his tenure is how effectively he can strengthen execution, develop the portfolio, and create lasting value for customers and shareholders.

Pratt's previous roles provide a foundation for that work. His leadership at QIAGEN will ultimately be judged by the company's operating performance, product development, customer relationships, and ability to sustain profitable growth.

Key Facts About Jonathan Pratt

Detail	Information
Full name	Jonathan M. Pratt
Commonly known as	Jon Pratt
Current position	Chief Executive Officer of QIAGEN
CEO since	September 1, 2026
Industry	Life sciences, molecular diagnostics, laboratory technology
Most recent previous role	President and CEO of Filtration Group
Other leadership roles	Waters Corporation, Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, Pall Corporation
Undergraduate degree	BSc in Chemistry, University of Reading
Graduate degree	MBA, NYU Stern School of Business
Nationality	Not confirmed in the cited company biography
Company headquarters	Venlo, Netherlands

 

About QIAGEN

QIAGEN N.V. develops technologies that help researchers and healthcare professionals extract, analyze, and interpret molecular information from biological samples. Its products support life sciences research, pharmaceutical development, molecular diagnostics, and other scientific applications.

The company's integrated approach combines sample preparation, assay technologies, bioinformatics, and laboratory automation to help customers move from biological material to actionable insights.