Merck KGaA Strengthens Executive Board

• Stefan Oschmann appointed Deputy CEO and Vice Chairman of the Executive Board
• Belén Garijo appointed new member of the Executive Board
• Changes effective from January 1, 2015

DARMSTADT, Germany, Sept. 18, 2014 /CNW/ - Merck KGaA today announced that the Board of Partners has promoted Stefan Oschmann (57) to the position of Deputy CEO and Vice Chairman of the Executive Board. Concurrently, Belén Garijo (54) was appointed to the Executive Board to take over leadership for the Pharma business. The management changes will become effective as of January 1, 2015.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140924/706485-a )
     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140924/706485-b )

Oschmann, currently CEO Pharma, will represent Karl-Ludwig Kley, Chairman of the Executive Board. Both will share strategic management functions and will represent the company with politicians and international organizations.

As a member of the Executive Board, Garijo, currently CEO of Merck's biopharmaceutical division, will take on responsibility for the whole Pharma business. Besides the biopharmaceutical division, this includes Consumer Health, Allergy and Biosimilars.

"With today's management decisions we strengthen our leadership team and prepare the ground for continuity to reach our ambitious growth targets until the year 2018 and beyond," said Johannes Baillou, Chairman of the Board of Partners of E. Merck KG. "Stefan Oschmann who has successfully reorganized our pharma businesses over the past years will familiarize himself with Group-wide functions and will increasingly assume external responsibilities for the company. Belén Garijo has many years of experience in the pharma industry, has proven that she can further develop our business organization and in her future role will provide a significant contribution to ensure the sustainable success of our pharma businesses."

Note to editors 

You find pictures and CVs here.

All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the EMD Group Website. In case you are a resident of the USA or Canada please go to http://www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register again for your online subscription of this service as our newly introduced geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service.

About Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany  

Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany, is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in the pharmaceutical and chemical sectors. Its subsidiaries in Canada and the United States operate under the umbrella brand EMD. Around 39,000 employees work in 66 countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to further the success of customers and to help meet global challenges. The company generated total revenues of € 11.1 billion in 2013 with its four divisions: Biopharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, Performance Materials and Life Science Tools. Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company - since 1668, the name has stood for innovation, business success and responsible entrepreneurship. Holding an approximately 70 percent interest, the founding family remains the majority owner of the company to this day.

SOURCE: Merck KGaA

Walter Huber, [phone]; Nicole Mommsen, [phone]