Bayer chairman and CEO Marijn Dekkers is the next president of German chemical industry association VCI (Frankfurt). VCI’s general assembly, taking place today in Frankfurt, elected Dekkers president for a two-year term starting on 27 September. He has been a member of VCI’s presidential council since 2011. Dekkers succeeds Merck KGaA chairman Karl-Ludwig Kley as VCI president.
“We need to become more innovative if the industry country Germany—and with it the chemical-pharmaceutical industry—want to continue being successful on the global markets,” Dekkers said after his election. “The capability to innovate is key to strengthening the competitiveness of this location. As an export-oriented country with few raw materials, Germany needs companies which steadily develop new products and place them on the market rapidly and successfully. More scope for research and fewer obstacles to innovation help achieve this goal. Therefore, I will advocate a joint innovation offensive of society, industry, and politicians.”
Kley and Evonik chairman Klaus Engel have been elected vice presidents of VCI. BASF chairman Kurt Bock is also a v.p. of VCI.
VCI also decided on a new composition for its presidential council. The new presidential council has eight members including Linde chairman Wolfgang Büchele, Henkel chairman Kasper Rorsted, Wacker Chemie chairman Rudolf Staudigl, and Lanxess chairman Matthias Zachert.
Bayer announced in June that Dekkers would step down as chairman and CEO at the end of 2016. Bayer announced last week that it would spin off or divest its Bayer MaterialScience plastics subgroup.
By Ian Young
