The Corporate Governance Report presents the structure, rules and processes that form the basis of Lonza’s corporate governance. The Report follows the structure of the SIX Swiss Exchange’s Directive on Information relating to Corporate Governance. The principles and rules of Lonza’s corporate governance are laid down in the Lonza Articles of Association and in the Regulations Governing Internal Organization and Board Committees, including their Charters. In the implementation of its corporate governance, Lonza follows the Swiss Code of Best Practice for Corporate Governance issued by the Swiss Business Federation economiesuisse.
Pierre-Alain Ruffieux was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) until September 2023
Caroline Barth was Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) until May 2023
Nationality: Swiss
Year of birth: 1952
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) ad interim (since October 2023), Chairman of the Board of Directors of Lonza Group Ltd (since 2018), Independent member of the Board of Directors of Lonza Group Ltd (since April 2017).
On 1 October 2023, Albert M. Baehny took on the responsibilities as CEO ad interim until a permanent successor is found.
Albert M. Baehny holds a degree in biology from the University of Fribourg (CH).
Nationality: Swiss
Year of birth: 1959
Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Lonza Group Ltd (since April 2020); Independent member of the Board of Directors of Lonza Group Ltd (since April 2016)
On 12 November 2019 Christoph Mäder was appointed Lead Independent Director by the Board.
Christoph Mäder holds a Master’s degree in law from the University of Basel (CH) and is admitted to the Swiss Bar.
Christoph Mäder is the Chair of the Nomination and Compensation Committee (NCC), which is in charge of overseeing the evaluation of company leadership, succession planning, compensation policies and programs as well as leadership compensation, including setting the ESG targets within the Lonza Bonus target, and to oversee the achievements of such targets on an annual basis.
He is also a member of the Audit and Compliance Committee (ACC), which is in charge of overseeing the systems of internal control and financial reporting, and compliance with laws and regulations, including the reporting and assurance process for ESG.
Nationality: German
Year of birth: 1965
Marion Helmes has extensive financial expertise as well as global operational experience from a career that includes Chief Financial Officer positions at Celesio, Q-Cells and with ThyssenKrupp’s Elevator and Stainless divisions. She currently holds Board Memberships with ProSiebenSat.1 Media, Siemens Healthineers AG and Heineken N.V.
Marion has a degree in Business Administration from Freie Universität Berlin and a PhD from the University of St. Gallen.
Marion Helmes is a member of the Audit and Compliance Committee (ACC), which is in charge of overseeing the systems of internal control and financial reporting, and compliance with laws and regulations, including the reporting and assurance process for ESG.
Nationality: German-Brazilian
Year of birth: 1960
Independent member of the Board of Directors of Lonza Group Ltd (since May 2018).
Angelica Kohlmann holds a MD and doctorate in medicine from Hamburg University (DE).
Angelica Kohlmann is a member of the Nomination and Compensation Committee (NCC), which is in charge of overseeing the evaluation of company leadership, succession planning, compensation policies and programs as well as leadership compensation, including setting the ESG targets within the Lonza Bonus target, and to oversee the achievements of such targets on an annual basis.
She is the Chair of the Innovation and Technology Committee (ITC), which is in charge of reviewing the innovation and technology at Lonza, including ESG developments
Nationality: Swiss, German
Year of birth: 1961
Independent member of the Board of Directors of Lonza Group Ltd (since May 2022).
Roger Nitsch serves as CEO and President of Neurimmune, which he founded in 2006 with two business partners. A neuroscientist with a background in medicine, Roger is recognized as an opinion leader in neurodegenerative diseases with over 30 years of experience in Alzheimer’s disease research and drug development. A Potamkin Prize winner and Member of the German Academy of Sciences, Roger served as a founding director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine (IREM), University of Zurich.
Roger Nitsch is a Professor emeritus at the University of Zurich, he holds an MD degree from the University of Heidelberg and earned his post-doctoral qualification at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School.
Roger Nitsch is a member of the Innovation and Technology Committee (ITC), which is in charge of reviewing the innovation and technology at Lonza, including ESG developments.
Nationality: British
Year of birth: 1960
Independent member of the Board of Directors of Lonza Group Ltd (since April 2014).
Independent member of the Board of Directors of Lonza Group Ltd (since April 2014).
Barbara Richmond holds a first-class degree in management science from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in England. Barbara Richmond has substantial knowledge as a financial expert, demonstrated by her roles as CFO for various companies. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Barbara Richmond is the Chair of the Audit and Compliance Committee (ACC), which is in charge of overseeing the systems of internal control and financial reporting, and compliance with laws and regulations, including the reporting and assurance process for ESG.
Nationality: German
Year of birth: 1958
Independent member of the Board of Directors of Lonza Group Ltd (since April 2014)
Jürgen Steinemann holds a degree in Economics and Business Management from the European Business School in Wiesbaden (DE), London (UK) and Paris (FR).
Current Activities and Functions
Jürgen Steinemann is a member of the Nomination and Compensation Committee (NCC), which is in charge of overseeing the evaluation of company leadership, succession planning, compensation policies and programs as well as leadership compensation, including setting the ESG targets within the Lonza Bonus target, and to oversee the achievements of such targets on an annual basis.
Public Company Boards:
Further Appointments:
Former Activities and Functions:
Nationality: Belgian
Year of birth: 1972
Independent member of the Board of Directors of Lonza Group Ltd (since May 2018)
Olivier Verscheure is a Professor of Computer Science at EPFL (ETH Lausanne) and the co-founder and Executive Director of the Swiss Data Science Center, a national hub for applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science, jointly hosted at EPFL in Lausanne and ETH Zurich since 2016. Olivier also co-leads an executive training program in Data Science and Management with HEC Lausanne, blending his expertise in academia and industry. Before joining EPFL, he held various research and leadership positions at IBM in the United States and Ireland.
Olivier holds a PhD in Computer Science from EPFL (July 1999).
Olivier Verscheure is a member of the Innovation and Technology Committee (ITC), which is in charge of reviewing the innovation and technology at Lonza, including ESG developments.
Nationality: Swiss
Year of birth: 1952
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) ad interim (since October 2023), Chairman of the Board of Directors of Lonza Group Ltd (since 2018), Independent member of the Board of Directors of Lonza Group Ltd (since April 2017).
On 1 October 2023, Albert M. Baehny took on the responsibilities as CEO ad interim until a permanent successor is found.
Albert M. Baehny holds a degree in biology from the University of Fribourg (CH).
Nationality: Swiss / German / French
Year of birth: 1972
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Member of the Executive Committee (since December 2021)
Philippe holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial Management and Manufacturing and a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zürich (CH), as well as an MBA from Cornell University’s Johnson School (US).
Nationality: British
Year of birth: 1965
President, Small Molecules Division (since January 2021) and Member of the Executive Committee (since April 2021)
Gordon Bates holds a master’s degree in Engineering Business Management from the University of Warwick (UK).
Nationality: Swiss
Year of birth: 1972
President, Biologics (since January 2021) and Member of the Executive Committee (since April 2021)
Jean-Christophe Hyvert holds a master’s degree in Physics from INSA, Rennes (FR) and an MBA from the Northwestern University (USA).
Nationality: German
Year of birth: 1965
Chief Human Resources Officer and Member of the Executive Committee (since January 2024)
Ulrike holds a graduate degree in Business Administration from Staatliche Berufsakademie Stuttgart.
Nationality: Spanish
Year of birth: 1969
Head, Group Operations and Member of the Executive Committee (since August 2022)
Maria Soler Nunez holds a PhD in Pharmacy in the area of Genetics, Molecular Biology from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (ES).
Nationality: German, Italian, US
Year of birth: 1969
President, Cell & Gene and Member of the Executive Committee (since November 2022)
Daniel Palmacci holds a Master’s Degree in Chemistry and Process Engineering with High Honors from the Technical University Berlin (DE).
Nationality: German
Year of birth: 1975
President, Capsules & Health Ingredients Division and Member of the Executive Committee (since July 2022)
Christian Seufert holds a master’s degree in Business Administration and Economics from the University of Hohenheim (DE).
Nationality: Swiss
Year of birth: 1969
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Member of the Executive Committee (from November 2020 until September 2023)
Pierre-Alain Ruffieux holds a doctorate in Biotechnology and a master’s degree in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne (CH).
Nationality: British, Swiss
Year of birth: 1972
Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Member of the Executive Committee (from May 2020 until April 2023)
Caroline Barth holds a degree in European Business Studies from the University of Sunderland (UK) and an MBA from The Open University, Brussels (BE).
Information tracked until the end of employment with Lonza