Marijn Dekkers was appointed Chairman of Unilever in 2016.  Previously he was CEO of Bayer 2010-16, the global chemical, pharmaceutical and healthcare corporation.

 

During his tenure at Bayer, Dekkers spun off the company’s material-sciences division, which made plastics.  In 2014, he orchestrated Bayer’s US$14.2 billion acquisition of U.S. based Merck’s consumer-care division.  Dutch-born Dekkers earned a reputation at Bayer for shaking up a staid corporate culture.

 

Dekkers began his career as a Research Scientist with General Electric.  In 1995, he joined Allied Signal (subsequently Honeywell International) and took over the management of various business units. 

 

In 2000, he became Chief Operating Officer at Boston-based Thermo Electron Corporation, one of the world's leading specialists in the manufacture of laboratory instruments.  Within a short time, Dekkers implemented a complete corporate reorganisation and became President and CEO in 2002.  In this role he initiated further extensive restructuring measures and strengthened the company's core business by targeted acquisitions.

Dekkers is also on the Board of Directors of General Electric.