Bill Anderson to become CEO of Bayer AG

The Supervisory Board of Bayer AG has appointed Bill Anderson to become CEO of Bayer, effective June 1, 2023. He will join Bayer as a member of the Board of Management on April 1, 2023. Bill Anderson was elected unanimously after a thorough selection process which began mid last year. Werner Baumann (60), current CEO of Bayer, will work closely with him on a smooth transition before retiring from Bayer after 35 years of service at the end of May 2023.

Bill Anderson (56), a chemical engineer by education, has served in various leadership positions in the life science industry over the past 25 years. Most recently, he served as CEO of Roche’s Pharmaceuticals Division, where he successfully led a comprehensive transformation program which resulted in many successful new product launches, significant revenue growth, and greater productivity across the organization. Before this role, Anderson was CEO of Genentech, one of the pioneering companies in the biotech field.

Previously, Bill Anderson held several senior leadership positions in general management, product development, and finance at Biogen, another innovation leader in the biotech sphere, and Raychem, an American technology and electronics company. During his time at Biogen, Genentech and Roche, Anderson was involved in the development and launch of 25 new medicines, including 15 blockbusters. In addition to his native country, the United States, Bill Anderson has lived and worked in several European countries with postings in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Switzerland. In his new role, he will be based in Leverkusen, Germany.

“We are very excited to welcome Bill Anderson as new CEO of Bayer. He is the ideal candidate to lead Bayer together with the team into a new, successful chapter at a time of a disruptive innovation cycle in biology, chemistry and artificial intelligence. Bill has an outstanding track record of building strong product pipelines and turning biotech breakthroughs into products. Beyond that, he is a truly transformational leader who creates a culture that propels innovation, boosts productivity and performance, and allows people to thrive,” said Prof. Dr. Norbert Winkeljohann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Bayer AG. “Bill Anderson’s mission is clear: enable Bayer to realize its full potential and create sustainable value for our shareholders, farmers, patients, consumers, employees, and all stakeholders of the company.”

Winkeljohann continued: “On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board, I would also like to sincerely thank Werner Baumann for 35 years of dedicated service with Bayer, including seven years as CEO. Today, Bayer is a leading life science company with outstanding innovation capabilities in health and nutrition, well positioned in highly attractive growth markets. The recent successful operational performance is clear proof that Bayer stands on a very strong foundation. We wish Werner Baumann all the very best in his future endeavors.”

The new CEO-elect, Bill Anderson, said: “Bayer is an innovative company that is already delivering tremendous benefits for the nutrition, health and environmental protection of the world. Its leading R&D investments in agriculture, medicines and consumer health hold the promise for additional breakthroughs. I look forward to working with the people of Bayer to accelerate innovation, increase performance, advance sustainability and unleash the full potential of the company.”

Heike Hausfeld, Vice Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board and Chairwoman of the Bayer Central Works Council said: “There is a long-lasting and strong partnership between the Works Council and Bayer’s management, which is a foundational element of the company’s governance and success. We thank Werner Baumann for the trustful collaboration over the years and wish him all the best in the future. We had tough debates on a number of topics – and ultimately we were able to advance a lot for Bayer together. In our conversations, Bill’s commitment to Bayer’s employees, its purpose “Science for a better life” and its vision “Health for all, hunger for none” was evident. I am confident that the close partnership with him as CEO and the Works Council will continue.”

Bill Anderson holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas, and Master of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering and Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Bill Anderson is married and has three children.