Pentair (NYSE: PNR) CFO Departs, Bob Fishman Steps In as Interim CFO

Pentair plc (NYSE: PNR) disclosed a C-suite transition on July 14, 2026, confirming that Nicholas J. Brazis resigned as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer effective July 10 to pursue an opportunity at a private company. The board moved quickly, appointing Robert P. Fishman as Interim Executive Vice President and CFO on the same day as the announcement. The disclosure came alongside preliminary second-quarter 2026 financial results and a revision to full-year 2026 guidance.

CFO Transition Details

• Departure: Nicholas J. Brazis resigned effective July 10, 2026, to join a private company.
• Interim appointment: Robert P. Fishman, 63, named Interim Executive Vice President and CFO effective July 14, 2026.
• Compensation: Fishman will receive a monthly base salary of $125,000 and a restricted stock unit grant valued at $1,000,000, vesting one year after the grant date regardless of continued employment.
• Suspended severance: Fishman was already entitled to severance from his prior March 2026 resignation; those payments are suspended while he serves as interim CFO and resume upon departure.
• Search underway: Pentair has initiated a formal search to identify a permanent CFO.

Why It Matters

Fishman is not a new face at Pentair. He served as the company's Executive Vice President and CFO from 2020 through March 1, 2026, and also held the title of Chief Accounting Officer from 2020 to 2025. His prior tenure at NCR Corporation, where he served as Executive Vice President and CFO from 2016 to 2018 and Senior Vice President and CFO from 2010 to 2016, adds further experience to his interim role. The board's decision to recall a former CFO limits near-term operational disruption during a period when the company is also navigating a revision to its full-year 2026 guidance.

The timing of the leadership change coincides with preliminary second-quarter results and a guidance cut attributed in part to pool channel destocking, adding complexity to the transition. Pentair has scheduled a second-quarter 2026 investor call to address both the financial results and the leadership update.

Wall Street View

Shares of Pentair traded at $75.68 on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, a move of -1.11%, while the S&P 500 gained 0.36%. The stock is trading well below its 52-week high of $113.95, reflecting pressure from the revised guidance.

Investor Takeaway

Fishman's return provides institutional continuity at the CFO level, but the concurrent guidance reduction means investors face two simultaneous uncertainties: a leadership vacancy being filled on an interim basis and a weaker near-term financial outlook. The one-year cliff vesting on Fishman's $1,000,000 restricted stock unit grant, structured to vest regardless of employment status, signals the board's intent to retain him through the permanent search process rather than risk a second abrupt departure.