Merck KGaA appoints Danny Bar-Zohar as healthcare CEO

GERMANY – Merck KGaA has announced that Danny Bar-Zohar will take over as CEO of its healthcare division starting June 1.

Bar-Zohar, who currently serves as the global head of R&D and chief medical officer, will replace Peter Guenter, who is set to retire.

Guenter joined Merck at the end of 2020 after leaving his role as CEO of Almirall. Around the same time, Bar-Zohar became the company’s global head of development and later took on his current position in 2022. His previous experience includes leadership roles at Novartis and Teva.

Merck highlighted Bar-Zohar’s key role in reshaping its R&D organization and leading external innovation and business development.

As part of the company’s ongoing strategic shift following clinical setbacks, Merck is focusing on sourcing more than half of its future drug launches from external collaborations.

Recently, the company confirmed its interest in acquiring SpringWorks Therapeutics, a biotech firm specializing in cancer and rare disease treatments.

Alongside Bar-Zohar’s appointment, Merck also announced a leadership change in its life science division. Jean-Charles Wirth, currently leading science and lab solutions within the sector, will step in as the new CEO of life sciences on June 1.

He will replace Matthias Heinzel, who has chosen not to renew his contract. Wirth has been with Merck since 2006 and brings extensive experience to his new role.

Welcoming the new leaders, Merck Chairman Johannes Baillou stated, “We warmly welcome Jean-Charles Wirth and Danny Bar-Zohar. They bring deep expertise in their fields, strong leadership complemented by diverse backgrounds, international exposure, and an innovative outlook that will further enrich our company.”