Bayer’s Marijn Dekkers
German life sciences company Bayer announced yesterday that Marijn Dekkers will step down as CEO at the end of 2016.
Dekkers, who has been at the helm since the beginning of 2010, chose to extend his current contract by just two years citing “family reasons” for the decision.
It is the second major departure from Bayer in recent weeks following the announcement that Andrea Fibig, the president of its Bayer Healthcare division, is to leave to become CEO of International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF).
Bayer made no declaration concerning a successor to Dekkers, although it has restructured its senior leadership to help with the transition.
This includes the appointment of current chief financial officer Werner Baumann to a new role as chief strategy and portfolio officer, with Baumann’s current role being filled by Johannes Dietsch, who currently heads financial operations in China. Both changes come into effect on October 1.
“Today’s resolutions lay the foundation for the sustained future development of our company and see us well placed in the long term in the areas of strategy and portfolio management,” said Werner Wenning, chairman of the supervisory board.
Under Dekkers’ leadership Bayer has made some significant developments, including the acquisition of Merck & Co’s consumer care unit to bolster its over-the-counter (OTC) business.
Sanofi’s Viehbacher switches from Paris to Boston
There were changes at the top for another major European pharma company, with the news that Sanofi’s CEO Christopher Viehbacher is to relocate from the company’s Paris headquarters to its US offices in Boston.
The decision has raised concerns that Sanofi, which set up shop in the research hub of Boston following the acquisition of Genzyme in 2011, is losing interest in its native France.
The company has played this prospect down, however, with Reuters quoting a spokesperson: “This is a personal family decision made by Chris Viehbacher which will have no effect on the operation of the company.”