- Bayer's new CEO, Bill Anderson, is set to take over on April 1st and faces three challenges: dealing with the legacy of the Monsanto takeover, doubling its North American drug business by 2030, and addressing calls for a split of its pharma and crop-science businesses.
- Anderson used to run the pharmaceuticals business at Roche, a Swiss drug behemoth, and is American, which makes him the ideal person to lead Bayer's push into the US market.
- Bayer is planning to beef up staff in marketing and distribution from 1,000 to 3,000 by 2030 and has high hopes for two recently launched drugs: Nubeqa and Kerendia.
- Activist investors are calling for a separation of Bayer's crop unit, which they view as a 'jewel', and a spin-off of its drug business to reduce legal risks related to Roundup.
- Anderson is described as ambitious and a risk-taker, having bet big on costly trials of drugs to treat Alzheimer’s disease, breast cancer, and lung cancer while at Roche, despite unpromising results in early clinical studies.
Shareholders have high hopes for Bayer’s new boss
Bill Anderson has two qualifications for the job. He knows pharma. And he is American | Business
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