Lonza brings in new boss from competitor Siegfried
Published: Tuesday, Apr 2nd 2024, 08:00
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Lonza has filled the vacancy at the top of the Executive Board. The new CEO from summer 2024 will be the former Siegfried CEO Wolfgang Wienand. This will allow Albert Baehny to retire from the company for good.
"The Board of Directors is delighted to have appointed an experienced CEO with a strong and established track record in the CDMO industry," said Chairman of the Board of Directors and Ad-interim CEO Baehny in a press release on Tuesday. Wienand has headed the smaller competitor Siegfried from Zofingen AG since 2019.
Baehny, from western Switzerland, has held his dual role at Lonza since October 2023, when former CEO Pierre-Alain Ruffieux stepped down. Baehny will relinquish his position as CEO in the summer and leave the company, Lonza announced. The company had already chosen Dutchman Jean-Marc Huët as Baehny's successor at the head of the Board of Directors in January.
During Baehny's tenure, Lonza transformed itself from a chemical company into a market leader in contract manufacturing (CDMO). However, Baehny is also known for his high "CEO attrition". Over the past five years, the CEOs have been in each other's hands. Long-time CEO Richard Ridinger left at the beginning of 2019, Marc Funk just nine months later and Pierre-Alain Ruffieux stepped down in the fall of 2023. During this time, Baehny had to act as interim CEO twice.
Siegfried now has an interim boss
Meanwhile, Siegfried has also appointed Chief Financial Officer Reto Suter as Group CEO ad interim as of May 1, 2024. Wienand joined the company in August 2010 as Chief Scientific Officer and was appointed Group CEO in 2019.
And the outgoing CEO is praised for his work: "Wolfgang Wienand has made a significant contribution to the continued success of our company over the past fourteen years," explained Chairman of the Board Andreas Casutt. He is thanked for his contribution to the company's development.
Siegfried has now initiated the search for a new Group CEO, it added. At the same time, the company has a stable and strong team and a clear strategy. In the communiqué, Casutt therefore confirms Siegfried's goals for 2024 and beyond.
©Keystone/SDA
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