Bayer Appoints Dr. Sharon James Head of Global Innovation & Development for Consumer Health

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Sep 22, 2017, 04:30 ET

BASEL, Switzerland, Sept. 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bayer today announced the appointment of Dr. Sharon James as Head of the Global Innovation & Development (I&D) organization of the Consumer Health Division, effective October 2, 2017. Dr. James succeeds Dr. John O'Mullane, who will retire from the company on December 31, 2017 after 30 years in the industry.

"With more than 25 years' experience in the fast-moving consumer goods and consumer product sector, Sharon has a proven record of developing and supporting products for leading consumer brands," said Erica Mann, Member of the Board of Management, Bayer AG, and President, Consumer Health Division, Bayer. "I am excited that Sharon is joining Consumer Health, and know that under her leadership Bayer will continue to successfully develop and deliver new innovative self-care solutions that help people around the world be a little healthier every day."

Dr. James joins Bayer from Reckitt Benckiser, where she most recently held the position of Senior Vice President, Head of Global Research & Development (R&D), at the company's global headquarters in Slough, UK. She also previously held various senior roles at PepsiCo and Glaxo SmithKline.

Dr. James' product development experience spans health, personal and home care categories where she has delivered transformative and consumer-loved innovation internationally. Known for embedding a 'consumer-first' mindset in R&D, Dr. James is also a strong advocate of open innovation – collaborating extensively with a broad range of partners across the health industry.

Dr. James holds a Ph.D. in Neurobiology from University College London, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology and a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Biochemistry from University of London.

Dr. James will report to Erica Mann and will be a member of the Consumer Health Executive Committee. She will be based in Basel, Switzerland.

Dr. O'Mullane joined Bayer in 2014 following the acquisition of Merck Consumer Care. Among his many accomplishments leading global research and development organizations at Bayer, Merck (MSD) as well as Schering-Plough and GlaxoSmithKline, was leading successful over-the-counter switches of prescription medicines, creating state-of-the-art consumer testing centers at company facilities, and establishing consumer-centric design thinking methodologies across the function. Additionally, at Bayer, Dr. O'Mullane led a strategy to sharpen the Division's focus and redesign its innovation and development operating model to better deliver bigger, better and faster innovation to consumers.

"Under John's leadership, the Division is well-prepared to meet the needs and desires with new products that consumers demand," said Erica Mann. "I would like to thank John for his passion and strong sense of purpose that has helped to put us on a path of even greater success with our innovation efforts."

Bayer: Science For A Better Life

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2016, the Group employed around 115,200 people and had sales of EUR 46.8 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.6 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.7 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

Media Contact:
Trish McKernan, Bayer, Tel. +41 58-272-7871
E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Bayer