--- schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1" accession: "0001140361-21-041462" form_type: "8-K" ticker: "CNC" cik: "0001071739" company_name: "CENTENE CORP" filed_at: "2021-12-14T23:59:59+00:00" generated_at: "2026-06-28T01:08:57.449363+00:00" event_type: "leadership" sentiment: "positive" materiality_score: 0.9 calibrated_materiality_score: 0.9 confidence: "high" source: SEC EDGAR --- # Centene enters cooperation with Politan, appoints five new directors, plans CEO succession ## Summary - Centene (CNC) and Politan Capital Management enter cooperation agreement; Board expands to 14 directors and appoints five new directors including Ken Burdick. - Chairman and CEO Michael Neidorff to retire as CEO in 2022, serve as Executive Chairman; reconstituted Board to appoint new CEO. - James Dallas named Lead Independent Director immediately, will become Independent Chair by end of 2022. - Six directors to retire: Robert Ditmore, John Roberts, Tommy Thompson in 2022; Neidorff, Ayala, Gephardt in 2023. - Board adopts mandatory retirement age of 75 for non-management directors; Politan agrees to standstill and voting provisions. ## SEC filing metadata - accession: 0001140361-21-041462 - form_type: 8-K - ticker: CNC - cik: 0001071739 - company_name: CENTENE CORP - filed_at: 2021-12-14T23:59:59+00:00 - event_type: leadership - sentiment: positive - materiality_score: 0.9 - calibrated_materiality_score: 0.9 - confidence: high - sec_items: 1.01, 5.02, 5.03, 7.01, 9.01 - EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1071739/000114036121041462/0001140361-21-041462-index.htm - EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1071739/000114036121041462/brhc10031842_8k.htm ## Machine-readable alternates - HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001140361-21-041462 - JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001140361-21-041462.json - Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001140361-21-041462.txt ## Key facts - Executive change Ken Burdick was appointed as director at CENTENE CORP. - Action: appointed - Role: director source text: Other than the Agreement, there is no other arrangement or understanding pursuant to which Messrs. Burdick, Samuels, DeVeydt and Coughlin will be appointed as a director of the Company. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1071739/000114036121041462/0001140361-21-041462-index.htm - Executive change Coughlin was appointed as director at CENTENE CORP. - Action: appointed - Role: director source text: Other than the Agreement, there is no other arrangement or understanding pursuant to which Messrs. Burdick, Samuels, DeVeydt and Coughlin will be appointed as a director of the Company. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1071739/000114036121041462/0001140361-21-041462-index.htm - Executive change DeVeydt was appointed as director at CENTENE CORP. - Action: appointed - Role: director source text: Other than the Agreement, there is no other arrangement or understanding pursuant to which Messrs. Burdick, Samuels, DeVeydt and Coughlin will be appointed as a director of the Company. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1071739/000114036121041462/0001140361-21-041462-index.htm - Executive change Samuels was appointed as director at CENTENE CORP. - Action: appointed - Role: director source text: Other than the Agreement, there is no other arrangement or understanding pursuant to which Messrs. Burdick, Samuels, DeVeydt and Coughlin will be appointed as a director of the Company. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1071739/000114036121041462/0001140361-21-041462-index.htm - Executive change Tommy Thompson departed as director at CENTENE CORP. - Action: retire - Role: director source text: Upon their retirement, it is expected that each of Messrs. Ditmore, Roberts and Thompson will be designated as a nonvoting director emeritus through the Company’s 2022 annual meeting, in the case of Messrs. Roberts and Thompson, and through the Company’s 2023 annual meeting, in the case of Mr. Ditmore. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1071739/000114036121041462/0001140361-21-041462-index.htm - Executive change John Roberts departed as director at CENTENE CORP. - Action: retire - Role: director source text: Upon their retirement, it is expected that each of Messrs. Ditmore, Roberts and Thompson will be designated as a nonvoting director emeritus through the Company’s 2022 annual meeting, in the case of Messrs. Roberts and Thompson, and through the Company’s 2023 annual meeting, in the case of Mr. Ditmore. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1071739/000114036121041462/0001140361-21-041462-index.htm - Executive change Michael Neidorff changed role as Executive Chairman at CENTENE CORP. - Action: plans to retire as Chief Executive Officer - Role: Executive Chairman source text: Mr. Neidorff has informed the Board that he plans to retire as Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Mr. Neidorff will serve as Executive Chairman throughout the remainder of 2022, upon his retirement as Chief Executive Officer. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1071739/000114036121041462/0001140361-21-041462-index.htm - Executive change Robert Ditmore departed as director at CENTENE CORP. - Action: retire - Role: director source text: Upon their retirement, it is expected that each of Messrs. Ditmore, Roberts and Thompson will be designated as a nonvoting director emeritus through the Company’s 2022 annual meeting, in the case of Messrs. Roberts and Thompson, and through the Company’s 2023 annual meeting, in the case of Mr. Ditmore. evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1071739/000114036121041462/0001140361-21-041462-index.htm This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.