New CEO for Merz Therapeutics: Stefan König

Mexico City, London, and now Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Experienced Pharma manager appointed to lead Merz Therapeutics

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As of immediately, Stefan König will be responsible for Merz Therapeutics GmbH as CEO and Managing Director. As one of the businesses of Merz Group, Merz Therapeutics provides medical solutions for the treatment of serious health conditions such as neurological health impairments or diseases of the liver.

Stefan König is an accomplished leader who has successfully worked in the pharmaceutical industry for his entire career, both at national and international market level. “Merz Therapeutics has had a successful development in last years. That is why we are very pleased to have won an exceptional executive with Stefan König who will continue to expand our business and take it to the next level. His profound expert knowledge in both clinical-stage drug development and commercialization as well as his experience in different global markets make him the ideal person to drive the future growth strategy of Merz Therapeutics,” says Phillip Burchard, CEO of the Merz Group and Chairman of the Merz Holding Board.

Until recently, Stefan König held the position of President and CEO of George Medicines, a London-based company focusing on the development of pharmaceuticals in an advanced clinical phase. George Medicines is a spin-off of the George Institute, one of the leading international health research institutes. Before this, Stefan König worked for many years at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, where he held various senior positions in global, regional and local functions. Among others, he was responsible for the global Inflammatory Bowel Disease franchise, after heading up a number of local and regional market organizations.

After a strategic reorganization three years ago, Merz Group created Merz Therapeutics as one of its three core businesses, with the goal for each of the individual businesses to have a better focus on specific customers and markets. Since then, Merz Therapeutics has developed favourably. The previous CEO and Managing Director of Merz Therapeutics, Stefan Brinkmann, is leaving Merz by best mutual agreement at the end of February after many years. With Stefan König’s appointment as of March 1, 2023, we will ensure a seamless transition.

About the Merz Group

The Merz Group is a global, diversified health care company based in Frankfurt, Germany. Family-owned for over 110 years, the company is distinguished by its commitment to innovation, a long-term perspective, and a focus on sustainable, profitable growth. The Merz Group includes the businesses Merz Aesthetics, Merz Therapeutics, Merz Consumer Care, Merz Real Estate, and Merz Financial Investments. The company employs 3,730 people (as of financial year 21/22) in 28 countries worldwide. To learn more, please visit www.merz.com