Following the economic and legal separation of Covestro, Bayer is charting the course for its successful development as a life science company. From Jan. 1, 2016, the company’s business will be managed by three divisions: Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Health and Crop Science. The present structure of a strategic management holding company and operational subgroups will be replaced by an integrated organization under the umbrella of the strong Bayer brand.

In the new organization, the board of management of Bayer also will hold overall responsibility for business operations. For that reason, the supervisory board resolved to appoint the heads of the divisions—Dieter Weinand (Pharmaceuticals), Erica Mann (Consumer Health) and Liam Condon (Crop Science)—to the board of management effective Jan. 1, 2016. On the same date, Dr. Hartmut Klusik will join the board of management of Bayer as the new labor director and board member responsible for human resources, technology and sustainability. He will succeed Michael König, who has requested that his contract not be extended.

As part of the reorganization, the Bayer HealthCare subgroup will be dissolved. The radiology business will be assigned to the Pharmaceuticals Division. Consumer Health will comprise the present Consumer Care Division. The Bayer CropScience subgroup will become the Crop Science Division. As a business unit, Animal Health will report directly to Liam Condon.

The divisions are to focus on core competencies close to their businesses—R&D, production, and sales and marketing. They will be supported by integrated functions such as human resources and procurement, and by global services. Within that context, Bayer’s existing Technology Services company will become the Engineering & Technology function. Bayer Business Services, the company in which information technology and business support services are bundled, will remain a separate legal entity that is to see further expansion.

Despite the organizational changes, job numbers are expected to remain stable in the years ahead, both worldwide and in Germany.