FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2020
Contact:
Dr. Sanna Fowler
Head of External Communications
+41 79 539 0615
sanna.fowler@lonza.com
Lonza Appoints New Chief Executive Officer
Basel, Switzerland – The Board of Lonza announced today that Pierre-Alain Ruffieux has been appointed Chief Executive Officer effective 1 November 2020.
Pierre-Alain is currently Head of Global Pharma Technical Operations at Roche where he and his 12,000-strong team are responsible for all aspects of pharmaceutical commercial manufacturing and supply chain operations, technical, quality assurance and regulatory. Prior to that he held roles of increasing seniority at Novartis and has over 20 years’ experience in biopharmaceuticals.
Albert Baehny, Chairman of the Board said: “The Board is delighted to have appointed someone of Pierre-Alain’s calibre to be our next CEO. He brings deep knowledge of our industry, scientific excellence, customer focus and a strong record of building and leading high-performing and inclusive teams. Manufacturing and process excellence are central to Lonza and our customers’ success. Pierre-Alain has unrivalled experience in these areas in two of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies which will also be a great asset to the Lonza Group.”
Christoph Maeder, Lead Independent Director commented: “We warmly welcome Pierre-Alain to Lonza and look forward to his starting in November. At that point, Albert will relinquish his position as CEO ad interim and return to his role as non-executive Chairman. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I should like to thank Albert for stepping into the CEO role and for continuing to drive the company forward both operationally and strategically.”
Pierre-Alain Ruffieux, incoming Chief Executive Officer added: “I am delighted to have been appointed as CEO of Lonza. Having been a customer over many years, I greatly admire Lonza’s technology and people. I look forward to building on its many successes in the years to come.”
Notes to editors:
Dr Pierre-Alain Ruffieux is a senior biopharmaceutical executive with over 20 years’ experience leading global teams in the areas of drug development, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and regulatory. Since 2015, he has been Global Head of Pharma Technical Operations at Roche, having joined after 12 years at Novartis. He started his career at Serono. He holds a Masters’ degree in Chemical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Biotechnology, both from The Swiss Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). Pierre-Alain is 50 years old, is married with three children, and enjoys outside pursuits and travelling with his family, from his home in Switzerland.
About Lonza
At Lonza, we combine technological innovation with world class manufacturing and process excellence. Together, these enable our customers to deliver their discoveries in the healthcare, preservation, and protection sectors.
We are a preferred global partner to the pharmaceutical, biotech and specialty ingredients markets. We work to prevent illness and promote a healthier world by enabling our customers to deliver innovative medicines that help treat or even cure a wide range of diseases. We also offer a broad range of microbial control solutions, which help to create and maintain a healthy environment. Founded in 1897 in the Swiss Alps, Lonza today operates in 120 sites and offices in more than 35 countries.
With approximately 15,500 full-time employees, we are built from high-performing teams and of individual employees who make a meaningful difference to our own business, as well as the communities in which we operate. The company generated sales of CHF 5.9 billion in 2019 with a CORE EBITDA of CHF 1.6 billion. Find out more at www.lonza.com and follow us on Twitter @LonzaGroup or Facebook @LonzaGroupAG.
Lonza Contact Details
Media
Victoria Morgan
Head of Corporate Communications
+41 79 599 6260
victoria.morgan@lonza.com
Investor Relations:
Dirk Oehlers
Investor Relations Officer
+41 79 421 1609
dirk.oehlers@lonza.com
Categorized in: Members