Orlando D. Ashford

Orlando D. Ashford serves as Chair of the Board of Directors at Perrigo Company plc, a consumer health company. Ashford has been a director since December 2020. Born to working-class parents in Bangor, Maine, Ashford grew up primarily in New Jersey and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership in 1991 and a Master of Science degree in Industrial Technology in 1993, both from Purdue University.

Most recently, Ashford served as Chief People Officer at Fanatics Holdings Inc from 2022 to January 2025, overseeing human resources across the global sports platform's commerce, collectibles, and betting & gaming divisions. Prior to that, he was Executive Chairman of Azamara Cruise Lines from 2021 to 2022, and President of Holland America Line from 2014 to 2020. At Holland America Line, Ashford was widely credited in the industry for re-energizing the brand, innovating the guest experience and transforming the corporate culture to embrace inclusion, diversity and creativity. When appointed president of Holland America Line in 2014, Ashford became the first African American president of a cruise line.

Career History

• Chief People Officer, Fanatics Holdings Inc (2022-January 2025)
• Executive Chairman, Azamara Cruise Lines (2021-2022)
• President, Holland America Line (2014-2020)
• President, Talent Business Segment, Mercer, a global consulting company
• Senior human resources positions with Marsh & McLennan Companies, The Coca-Cola Company, and Motorola, Inc.

Ashford has received numerous industry recognitions, including being selected by Seattle Business Magazine for their 2019 "Executive Excellence Award," and being named by Black Enterprise magazine in 2017 to their list of "Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America." In 2016, he was awarded a Travvy Award for "Most Innovative Executive, Mid-Sized Cruise." He also currently serves on the board of directors for Array Technologies and Syndio, as well as the national board of Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Ashford is an author with two published books: "How Did You Get That Job?" and "Talentism," which examines how technology and human networks can help bridge the skills gap, improve business performance, and lead to the betterment of society. What Ashford could bring to his role as Chair of Perrigo: Drawing on three decades of transformational leadership in human resources, organizational culture, and global talent management at Fortune 500 companies, combined with recent C-suite experience at Fanatics overseeing rapid organizational growth and diversity initiatives, Ashford brings expertise in culture-driven leadership, organizational development, and strategic HR that positions Perrigo to strengthen board governance and reinforce its core values, as demonstrated by his decisive leadership during recent leadership transitions at the company.

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