The Board of Partners of E. Merck KG, a leading life sciences and technology company, has appointed two new executive board members.
Their appointment becomes effective from April 30. Udit Batra, aged 45, head of the life science business sector, and Walter Galinat, 59, head of the performance materials business sector, will become new members of the Merck executive board while retaining their previous business responsibilities.
Bernd Reckmann, 60, currently the executive board member responsible for life science and performance materials, will retire on conclusion of the Annual General Meeting on April 29, 2016.
"During Bernd Reckmann's term of office as the responsible Executive Board member, Merck built the Life Science business from modest beginnings, creating a global market leader. He also orchestrated the development of our Performance Materials business into a world-class technology and innovation powerhouse," Johannes Baillou, chairman of the Board of Partners of E. Merck KG, said in a company statement.
"The owners of the company are grateful to Bernd Reckmann and thank him for his many years of untiring commitment and loyalty. We trust that with Udit Batra and Walter Galinat, the Merck success story will continue, especially since both executives have been superbly managing their respective businesses for multiple years," Baillou said.
Walter Galinat joined Merck in 1976 as an apprentice. After earning a degree in Business Administration, in 1984 he moved to Taiwan, where he built up the local Merck subsidiary.
Udit Batra was awarded a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University and started his career at MSD in 1996. Prior to joining Merck, Batra worked for Novartis as Head of Global Public Health and Market Access for Vaccines and Diagnostics, as Global Head of Corporate Strategy, and as Country President of the pharmaceutical business in Australia. He joined Merck in 2011, taking over the leadership of the Consumer Health business. In March 2014, he was appointed CEO and President of Merck Millipore, the Merck Life Science business.
Bernd Reckmann started his career at Merck in 1986 in Diagnostics research, took over functions in marketing and sales, and was head of the Life Science Products division from 1998 to 2004. Reckmann, who holds a PhD in biochemistry, then became responsible for strategic innovation projects, moved as Managing Director to Korea in 2005, and upon his return to Germany in 2007 was appointed to the Executive Board.
