FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2020

Contact:
Dr. Sanna Fowler
Head of External Communications
+41 79 539 0615
sanna.fowler@lonza.com

  • Pierre-Alain Ruffieux today commences his role as Chief Executive Officer, following his appointment in June 2020.
  • Albert M. Baehny resumes his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors, after a year in the role of Chief Executive Officer ad interim.

Quote from Albert Baehny, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Lonza:
“I would like to extend a warm welcome to Pierre-Alain as he joins the Lonza family. He brings with him more than two decades of industry experience and an outstanding track record of professional achievement in both scientific and manufacturing excellence. He combines this with deep industry knowledge and a clear strategic understanding of Lonza’s unique position in the market. His experience and expertise will prove invaluable as Lonza Group continues to drive ambitious growth levels and capitalize on its position as a leading manufacturing partner in the pharma and biotech industry.”

Quote from Pierre-Alain Ruffieux, Chief Executive Officer, Lonza:
“I am very pleased to commence my tenure as CEO of Lonza Group. I have had the opportunity to work with Lonza as a customer many times in my career to date, so I know both the strength and value of its expertise, its technology and its people. I hope my experience as a customer will give me a unique perspective on how Lonza can develop its world class service offering in the coming years.

“I would like to recognize the exceptional commitment of the global employee community. Its dedication and perseverance has enabled Lonza to maintain business continuity through the first wave of the pandemic. I would also like to share my thanks with Albert for his leadership over the last year. He has guided the company through a period of extensive internal transformation in the context of widespread global uncertainty. Albert has overseen the decision to divest LSI and the negotiation of a landmark ten-year collaboration agreement with Moderna on its mRNA platform.

“I look forward to building on Lonza’s current success in the years to come, ensuring that we deliver for all our stakeholders at a unique moment for the pharma and biotech industry.”

Basel, Switzerland – Pierre-Alain Ruffieux today joins Lonza Group in the role of Chief Executive Officer. Albert Baehny has taken the role of CEO ad interim since November 2019. He will now work with Pierre-Alain to ensure a smooth handover of leadership before returning to his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Pierre-Alain brings with him more than 20 years of experience in biopharmaceuticals, most recently as Head of Global Pharma Technical Operations at Roche, where he oversaw pharmaceutical commercial manufacturing and supply chain operations.

Pierre-Alain joins Lonza at a significant moment of opportunity, supported by increasing global awareness of the critical industry contribution made by pharma and biotech manufacturing technologies. Lonza is well positioned to capitalize on future opportunities, as it refocuses its attention on long-term business growth, supported by a sustained series of confident CAPEX investments.

Pierre-Alain Ruffieux Biography
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 2017, he has been Global Head of Pharma Technical Operations at Roche, joining the company in 2015 after 12 years working for 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.

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