Merck KGaA Names Deputy CEO; Former Life-Sciences Head in As Waters CEO
Belén Garijo, currently a member of Merck KGaA’s Executive Board, has been named Vice Chairman of the Executive Board and Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Merck KGaA, effective July 13, 2020.
Belén Garijo joined Merck KGaA in 2011 as Chief Operating Officer of the Biopharma business and was appointed to the Executive Board in 2015. She is CEO of the Healthcare business and in charge of the corporate functions of human resources, environment, health, safety, security, and quality. She will maintain her current Executive Board responsibilities.
Additionally, Udit Batra, formerly head of Merck KGaA’s life-sciences business and a member of the company’s Executive Board, has left the company and will become President and CEO of Waters Corporation, an analytical instrumentation and consumables company, effective September 1, 2020. He succeeds Christopher O’Connell, who will remain in his current roles as President and CEO of Waters and as a member of the company’s board until September 1, 2020. He will also remain with Waters as an advisor until the end of this year (2020) to support the transition.
Batra joined Merck KGaA in 2011, took over responsibility for the life-science business sector in 2014, and was appointed to the Executive Board in 2016. In 2017, he also assumed responsibility for Information Technology.
On an interim basis, Christos Ross, currently Executive Vice President, Integrated Supply Chain Operations within the life-science business sector for Merck KGaA, will take over the life- science business lead and report to Stefan Oschmann, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Merck KGaA. The company said that it will decide on a successor in due course.
Marcus Kuhnert, Member of the Executive Board, Chief Financial Officer and in charge of Merck KGaA Business Services and Procurement, will in addition, take over the Executive Board responsibility for Information Technology.
Source: Merck KGaA and Waters Corporation