Bayer has promoted Dr Michael Preuss to head of communications, government relations and corporate brand to succeed Dr Herbert Heitmann.
When he takes up his new role on May 1 Dr Preuss will be responsible for the firm’s internal, external and digital communications, its political communication activities and the Bayer umbrella brand.
In this position he will report to Werner Baumann, who will become chairman of the board of management of Bayer AG, another change taking place on May 1.
Dr Preuss (pictured right) currently heads the corporate communications department at Bayer, having first joined the company in 1998 as media spokesman for the North America region.
In 2005, he moved to German engineering and electronics company Robert Bosch GmbH to head its media relations and PR department, before returning to Bayer in 2008 as head of corporate policy and media relations.
Dr Preuss’ predecessor Dr Herbert Heitmann had served as communications head since September 2013, having previously held comms roles at Royal Dutch Shell and SAP. Bayer said Dr Heitmann was “leaving the company at his own request”.