BASEL: Pierre-Alain Ruffieux today joins Lonza Group in the role of Chief Executive Officer, a news release said.

Albert Baehny has taken the role of CEO ad interim since November 2019. He will now work with Pierre-Alain to ensure a smooth handover of leadership before returning to his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Pierre-Alain brings with him more than 20 years of experience in biopharmaceuticals, most recently as Head of Global Pharma Technical Operations at Roche, where he oversaw pharmaceutical commercial manufacturing and supply chain operations.

Pierre-Alain joins Lonza at a significant moment of opportunity, supported by increasing global awareness of the critical industry contribution made by pharma and biotech manufacturing technologies.

Lonza is well positioned to capitalize on future opportunities, as it refocuses its attention on long-term business growth, supported by a sustained series of confident CAPEX investments.

Quote from Albert Baehny, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Lonza: “I would like to extend a warm welcome to Pierre-Alain as he joins the Lonza family. He brings with him more than two decades of industry experience and an outstanding track record of professional achievement in both scientific and manufacturing excellence. He combines this with deep industry knowledge and a clear strategic understanding of Lonza’s unique position in the market. His experience and expertise will prove invaluable as Lonza Group continues to drive ambitious growth levels and capitalize on its position as a leading manufacturing partner in the pharma and biotech industry.”

Quote from Pierre-Alain Ruffieux, Chief Executive Officer, Lonza: “I am very pleased to commence my tenure as CEO of Lonza Group. I have had the opportunity to work with Lonza as a customer many times in my career to date, so I know both the strength and value of its expertise, its technology and its people. I hope my experience as a customer will give me a unique perspective on how Lonza can develop its world class service offering in the coming years.

“I would like to recognize the exceptional commitment of the global employee community. Its dedication and perseverance has enabled Lonza to maintain business continuity through the first wave of the pandemic. I would also like to share my thanks with Albert for his leadership over the last year. He has guided the company through a period of extensive internal transformation in the context of widespread global uncertainty. Albert has overseen the decision to divest LSI and the negotiation of a landmark ten-year collaboration agreement with Moderna on its mRNA platform.

“I look forward to building on Lonza’s current success in the years to come, ensuring that we deliver for all our stakeholders at a unique moment for the pharma and biotech industry.”

Founded in 1897 in the Swiss Alps, Lonza today operates in 120 sites and offices in more than 35 countries. The company generated sales of CHF 5.9 billion in 2019 with a CORE EBITDA of CHF 1.6 billion. www.lonza.com