Bayer announces new leadership

Dr Marijn E Dekkers, current president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Thermo Fisher Scientific, will succeed Werner Wenning as CEO at Bayer from October 1 2010. Dekkers will join the Bayer management board on January 1 2010. He will also serve as interim CEO of Bayer HealthCare, succeeding Arthur J Higgins who will leave the company during the first half of 2010 for personal reasons.

Werner Baumann will become chief financial officer (CFO) following the annual stockholders' meeting on April 30 2010, when the present CFO, Klaus Kühn, takes early retirement. Baumann is currently a member of both the management board and executive committee of Bayer HealthCare, and will also join the Bayer management board on January 1 2010.

Werner Wenning will extend his contract of service to September 30 2010.

"Mr Wenning has very successfully steered our company for the past seven years. We are grateful to him for consenting to extend his contract of service, thereby ensuring both continuity and an adequate period of transition in these economically difficult times," stated Dr Manfred Schneider, chairman of the Bayer supervisory board. "The supervisory board believes that, in Dr Dekkers, it has found a highly qualified successor to steer the fortunes of our company. His international experience, goal-oriented approach and proven management skills are very convincing qualities."