David Denton
Summary
David Denton is Pfizer’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, a position he assumed on May 2, 2022, and is scheduled to leave on August 15, 2026. ([pfizer.com](https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-names-david-m-denton-chief-financial-officer?utm_source=openai))
Biography
Denton has more than 25 years of finance and operating experience, including more than 20 years in healthcare. Before joining Pfizer, he was Executive Vice President and CFO of Lowe’s, where he oversaw finance, treasury, strategy, real estate, accounting, tax, audit, and risk management. ([pfizer.com](https://www.pfizer.com/people/leadership/executives/dave_denton)) Earlier, Denton was Executive Vice President and CFO of CVS Health, where he helped integrate Caremark and played a central role in structuring and financing CVS’s 2017 acquisition of Aetna. He began his career at Deloitte and has served on the boards of Haleon and, previously, Tapestry. Denton holds a business administration degree from Kansas State University and an MBA from Wake Forest University. ([pfizer.com](https://www.pfizer.com/people/leadership/executives/dave_denton))
Notable achievements
- Led Pfizer’s corporate finance functions, including treasury, tax, audit, controllership, planning, and business finance. ([pfizer.com](https://www.pfizer.com/people/leadership/executives/dave_denton))
- Supported major Pfizer transactions involving Seagen, Biohaven, and Metsera during his tenure as CFO. ([pfizer.com](https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-announces-chief-financial-officer-transition))
- Previously helped structure and finance CVS Health’s acquisition of Aetna, one of the largest healthcare transactions of its time. ([pfizer.com](https://www.pfizer.com/people/leadership/executives/dave_denton))
- Helped lead the integration of Caremark into CVS and supported CVS’s transition from a retail pharmacy toward a broader health-services model. ([pfizer.com](https://www.pfizer.com/people/leadership/executives/dave_denton))
Problem areas / controversies
- Denton’s Pfizer tenure coincided with the steep decline in COVID-related revenue, which required lower forecasts, cost reductions, and a broader financial reset; the company’s disclosures do not assign those difficulties specifically to him. ([investing.com](https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/pfizer-considers-cost-cuts-as-demand-for-covid-products-falls-3140298?utm_source=openai))
- Pfizer’s acquisition-heavy strategy, including large oncology and biotechnology transactions, drew criticism from activist investors concerned about capital allocation and returns. ([investing.com](https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/starboard-seeks-probe-after-former-pfizer-execs-pull-support-for-its-campaign-3657790?utm_source=openai))
- Pfizer announced on June 18, 2026, that Denton would step down and leave the company on August 15, 2026, creating a finance-leadership transition; the company described the departure as a move for an outside consumer-goods opportunity rather than a misconduct matter. ([pfizer.com](https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-announces-chief-financial-officer-transition))