Bayer appoints Dr. Judith Hartmann as new CFO effective June 2026

Bayer AG announced that Dr. Judith Hartmann will join the company's Board of Management on March 1, 2026, and assume the role of Chief Financial Officer on June 1, 2026. She will replace Wolfgang Nickl, who plans to retire at the end of May 2026.

Dr. Hartmann currently serves as an Operating Partner at Sandbrook Capital, a private investment firm focused on climate infrastructure companies. Her previous executive roles include Chief Financial Officer and deputy Chief Executive Officer at ENGIE, a French global energy company, and Group CFO at German media company Bertelsmann.

Earlier in her career, Dr. Hartmann held various management positions at General Electric across the United States, Europe, and Brazil. She began her corporate career at The Walt Disney Company in Paris after earning a master's degree in business administration and a Ph.D. in Economics from the Vienna University of Economics and Business in 1997.

Dr. Hartmann has served on multiple corporate boards, including Unilever from 2015 to 2024, Marsh McLennan since 2023, and Ørsted since 2025. She previously held board positions at Suez, RTL Group, Electrabel, International Power, Penguin Random House, and Gruner & Jahr.

"With Judith Hartmann, Bayer is gaining a highly accomplished leader with vast international experience," said Professor Dr. Norbert Winkeljohann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Bayer AG, according to the company's press release.

The announcement comes as current CFO Wolfgang Nickl completes seven years in the role. Winkeljohann noted that under Nickl's leadership, the company's structure and operations have been simplified with efficiency improvements.

Bayer reported sales of €46.6 billion and employed approximately 93,000 people in fiscal 2024, with research and development expenses of €6.2 billion.

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