German chemicals and pharmaceuticals producer Merck KGaA has appointed James Stewart as its new chief information officer, succeeding Frédéric Wohlwend, who the company said has left to pursue other opportunities.

Stewart, who joined the Merck Serono biopharmaceutical division in 20111 after a career with Merck & Co. of the U.S. and its European offshoot MSD, where he is credited with leading a successful business transformation of that company's Human Health division across the EMEA region.