Kai Beckmann to take over from Belén Garijo as Merck CEO

Merck CEO Belén Garijo (left) and Kai Beckmann

Merck has confirmed Belén Garijo’s replacement as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) when she steps down, as planned, at the end of April 2026.

Kai Beckmann, who currently leads the company’s Electronics business, becomes Deputy CEO with immediate effect and will continue in his current role until a successor is announced.

He will then take over from Garijo on 1 May 2026, when he will also become Chairman of the company’s Executive Board.

Johannes Baillou, Chairman of the Executive Board of E. Merck KG, which holds a majority stake in Merck KGaA, said: “I would like to thank Belén Garijo for expertly steering Merck safely through tumultuous years of transformative change and returning the company to profitable growth.

“Under her exceptional leadership, Merck strengthened its position across Life Science, Healthcare, and Electronics, driving innovation and delivering impact on millions of patients and customers worldwide.”

During her six-year leadership tenure at the company, Garijo steered the company through the Covid-19 pandemic and made a string of moves to sharpen the company’s portfolio. These included its $3.4 billion acquisition of US biopharma company SpringWorks Therapeutics earlier this year and the 2024 divestment of its Surface Solutions pigments business.

Prior to that, Garijo’s 15-year stint at Merck also saw her serve as CEO of its Healthcare business. Following the end of her time at the company Merck said she would remain actively involved in the healthcare ecosystem.

Garijo’s successor Beckmann has served as a Member of the Executive Board of Merck since 2011 and assumed responsibility for its Performance Materials business sector in 2017, leading its subsequent transformation into the pureplay Electronics business.

Merck KG’s Baillou said: “In Kai Beckmann we have the perfect homegrown leader, taking over the Chair of the Executive Board of Merck with extensive understanding of our global businesses as well as patient and customer needs.

“Beckmann’s proven transformational expertise will be fundamental to deliver the next chapter of our company’s growth.”

Merck isn’t the only big pharma company to announce changes to its top leadership, with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) making a surprise switch in its CEO.