Thursday, January 29, 2026

Merck Appoints Benjamin Hein to the Executive Board – Leadership Change in Electronics as of May 2026

Merck, a leading science and technology company, has announced the appointment of Benjamin Hein (38) as a Member of the Executive Board and CEO of the Electronics business sector. Hein will assume his new role on May 1, 2026, succeeding Kai Beckmann, who will take over as Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Merck as previously announced.

With the appointment of Benjamin Hein, Merck is relying on an internationally experienced leader with deep industry expertise. After several global leadership roles within the company, Hein returns to the Electronics business sector and will be based in Darmstadt, Germany.

Johannes Baillou, Chairman of the Executive Board and Family Board of E. Merck KG, highlighted Hein’s career: “Over more than 13 years at Merck, Ben Hein has demonstrated strategic vision and a passion for innovation that has significantly accelerated the company’s growth.” His international leadership experience across Asia, Europe, and the U.S. makes him ideally suited to lead the Electronics business.

To ensure a smooth transition, Hein will assume the role of Head of Business Growth and Customer Value within Electronics and join the Electronics leadership team as of March 1, 2026.

Previously, Hein served as Head of Life Science Services (now part of Advanced Solutions), based in Burlington, Massachusetts. In this role, he led a globally integrated organization focused on contract development, manufacturing, and testing services.

Hein first joined Merck in 2011 and returned in 2014 to join Inhouse Consulting. He subsequently played a key role as Head of Group Strategy and in the CEO Office, helping to redefine the company’s strategic direction across businesses and regions. Within the Electronics business sector, he was instrumental in repositioning the unit as a semiconductor player following the acquisitions of Versum Materials and Intermolecular, as well as through the “Bright Future” transformation program.

Later, Hein moved closer to operations as General Manager for Greater China and Southeast Asia, where he achieved strong double-digit growth and strengthened strategic partnerships with leading semiconductor customers. Most recently, he served as Head of Specialty Gases.

Hein holds a Master of Business (Marketing) from Queensland University of Technology and a Master of Science in Strategic Marketing from Maastricht University. He also serves on the board of the German-American Business Council of Boston.

As of May 2026, Merck’s Executive Board will consist of Kai Beckmann (Chairman & CEO), Danny Bar-Zohar (CEO Healthcare), Khadija Ben Hammada (Chief People Officer), Benjamin Hein (CEO Electronics), Helene von Roeder (CFO), and Jean-Charles Wirth (CEO Life Science).