13.12.2010 • NewsElmar SchneeKarl-Ludwig KleyMerck & Co.

Elmar Schnee to Leave Merck KGaA

Elmar Schnees contract with Merck KGaA will not be extended.
Elmar Schnee's contract with Merck KGaA will not be extended.

Germany's Merck KGaA hired an executive from U.S. peer Merck & Co as head of its drugs division to replace Elmar Schnee, following a string of setbacks in product development.

Stefan Oschmann, aged 53, will be in charge of the group's prescription drug unit Merck Serono from Jan. 1, and he will also head the OTC drugs unit Consumer Health Care, the company said on Monday. It said that Schnee, at the helm of the pharmaceuticals unit since 2005, would leave the company for personal reasons but the departure comes after healthcare regulators rejected some of Merck KGaA's most promising development projects.

The European drugs watchdog on Sept. 24 dealt the German family-controlled group a blow by advising against the oral multiple-sclerosis treatment cladribine in the drug's potentially largest market. Last year, EU regulators came out against the use of Merck's blockbuster-hopeful Erbitux to fight lung tumors, the most common form of cancer.

German-born Stefan Oschmann has been in charge of Merck & Co's emerging markets operations since 2009, Merck KGaA said. The Financial Times Deutschland had reported on Sunday in an advance copy of its Monday edition that Merck will not extend the contract of pharmaceuticals head Schnee. Citing unnamed sources, the paper also said that Merck KGaA will extend the contract of Chief Executive Karl-Ludwig Kley, while Chief Financial Officer Michael Becker is set to retire. Uta Kemmerich and Olaf Klinger are among the possible successors for the post of finance chief, the paper said.

A spokesman for Merck had declined to comment on the possible management reshuffle on Sunday. Germany's Merck also said on Monday that Kai Beckmann, who has been with the company since 1989, would become executive board member responsible for human resources.

Innovation Pitch

The Start-up Platform for Chemistry & Life Sciences
Discover Tomorrow’s Innovators

The Start-up Platform for Chemistry & Life Sciences

CHEManager Innovation Pitch supports innovation in the chemistry and life sciences start-up scene. The platform allows founders, young entrepreneurs, and start-ups to present their companies to the industry.

Free Virtual Event

Vaccine Manufacturing
Bioprocess Forum

Vaccine Manufacturing

Join global experts and innovators for a two-day virtual event exploring the latest breakthroughs and best practices in vaccine manufacturing. Discover how new technologies and process innovations are shaping the future of vaccine production, safety, and scalability.

most read

Photo
19.03.2025 • News

Arkema Launches Acrylic Acid Purification Project

Arkema has announced the launch of its Carat Project at its Carling site in France. This initiative aims to enhance the capabilities and sustainability of the facility, which specializes in producing acrylic monomers and superabsorbent polymers.

Photo
28.07.2025 • NewsChemistry

VCI Welcomes US-EU Customs Deal

The German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) welcomes the fact that Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and US President Donald Trump have averted the danger of a trade war for the time being.