Merck Names New CEO and Rebrands
Mr. Oschmann was previously responsible for Merck’s Pharma business and was a member of the Executive Board from 2011 to 2014. The new branding is part of the company’s ongoing effort to position itself as a technology company as opposed to a pharmaceutical company, which is in line with its pending acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich (see IBO 9/30/14). The rebranding and new logo are also intended to create a unified, worldwide identity.
Darmstadt, Germany 10/13/15; Darmstadt, Germany 10/14/15—Merck KGaA, which owns Merck Millipore, has named Stefan Oschmann as CEO and chairman of the Executive Board. He succeeds Karl-Ludwig Kley, who has been CEO since 2007. Since January, Mr. Oschmann has served as deputy chairman of the Executive Board and deputy CEO, responsible for strategy and innovation. “We’re convinced that he will take the right steps to position the company in a way that will allow it to continue to actively shape an environment that has been experiencing fundamental scientific and digital changes,” said Johannes Baillou, chairman of the Board of Partners of E. Merck KG, which holds a 70% interest in the family-controlled company. The company also announced a new brand identity, including a new logo and renaming. Merck Millipore will now be known as Merck outside the US and Canada, where it will continue to use the name EMD Millipore until the closure of its acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich. Merck Millipore will operate as the life science business of Merck. Product brands will not be affected.
