Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, Announces Leadership Change for North America and Global Innovative Medicine Franchises in Healthcare

DARMSTADT, Germany, Feb. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates its Healthcare business sector as EMD Serono in the US and Canada, today announced that Rehan Verjee has made the decision to leave his position as President of EMD Serono and Global Head of Innovative Medicine Franchises, to pursue an opportunity outside of the Company that will soon be announced.  He will be succeeded by Andrew Paterson, who is currently Senior Vice President and Head of both the Global Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Franchise and the MS business unit in the United States.

"Rehan has had a significant impact on the business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and on the lives of patients during his 17-year tenure at the Company, which have included five years as a valued member of the Healthcare Executive team," said Peter Guenter, Member of the Executive Board of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and CEO Healthcare. "Under Rehan's leadership, we have strengthened both our Innovative Medicines strategy and our US operations, and we have built a demonstrated capability to successfully introduce new medicines into healthcare systems around the world. I am confident that we will continue to strengthen this upward momentum with Andrew's leadership and proven track-record of both strategic and operational performance." 

"It is truly a privilege to be a part of advancing life-changing medicines into clinical practice. I am exceptionally proud of the progress we have made and the momentum the Company has," said Verjee. "What has made it all the more rewarding has been doing so together with the many fantastic, values-driven colleagues I have had the chance to partner with during my years at the company."

"This is an exciting time for the company and particularly so for the Innovative Medicines and North American teams," said Paterson. "I look forward to further accelerating the progress of our Global Franchises and to ensuring that our new and established medicines reach as many patients as possible."

Paterson brings more than 30 years of leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical industry to his new appointment.  He has an exceptional track record as a values- and results-driven leader of high-performing teams. His experience spans multiple specialty therapeutic areas including Neurology, Fertility, Endocrinology, and Cardiovascular diseases, in global launch, global portfolio strategy, and in-country leadership roles. Paterson is a recognized expert at launching new medicines and is one of the major architects behind the success of the company's most recent multiple sclerosis medication and the return of its Global Neurology & Immunology Franchise to growth.

Paterson will be based in Rockland, Massachusetts, United States, and will serve as a member of the Healthcare Executive Committee.

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About Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 58,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2019, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of € 16.2 billion in 66 countries.

The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark "Merck" internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Performance Materials. Since its founding 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company's technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company.

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SOURCE Merck KGaA