Dr Gunnar Riemann
“European culture, values and diversity are important to me. I want to add my energy to keep the European idea strong.
My contribution as a mentor for United Europe allows me to work with and learn from Young Europeans and to offer my experience and personal views to support their development within a European context.”
Overview
Dr. Gunnar Riemann is a licensed pharmacist with 30 years of experience in leadership roles in the international health and agricultural industries. He brings a broad range of experience to the table, stemming from having been in charge of restructures, transformation processes, M&A and related work on corporate culture. He left the corporate world after having been a member of the ExCo of Bayer Cropscience AG.
Approach
His customer orientation allows Gunnar to quickly understand how his experience and insights can benefit his clients – whether these are specific to his broad international experience, working in different cultures or social contexts. His starting point in working with his clients is always a thorough understanding of their situation and needs – some of which are obvious, many of which usually need to be discovered together, by helping his clients build broader awareness for their situation. It is essential for him to establish chemistry with his clients, in order to create the needed level of trust. Then mutual learning and development can happen effectively.
Career History
Dr. Gunnar Riemann started his career as a plant manager in the Pharma Division of Bayer. He was then asked to take over R&D in the Consumer Care unit based in the US. Upon his return, he was put in charge of the Global Insect Control business unit and became a member of the ExCo of the Global Consumer Care business of Bayer. As a next step, he took responsibility for the region Asia/South America, later on for the region Europe within Consumer Care. His main focus areas at Consumer Care were the internationalisation of the business, professionalisation of marketing, then selling of several consumer brands to focus the unit on the OTC business. He was then appointed a member of the Bayer Healthcare ExCo and took over the Global Biologicals business unit based in the US. He turned the business around, put manufacturing back on its feet after a warning letter had been issued by the FDA, re-established the credibility of the business internally and externally, and then sold the plasma business.
From there he went to take over the Global Animal Health business of Bayer, and after a few years he was put in charge of the Global Pharma activities of Bayer. His main focus areas here were the acquisition and integration of Schering AG, selecting the leadership team for the new business, developing and implementing a R&D strategy, in-licensing of products in various stages of development, organisational & cultural development, as well as transformation management. Upon successful completion he was appointed to the ExCo of Bayer Cropscience and took the lead of the Global Environmental Sciences unit based in France, with a view of revitalising the business based on a new strategy, a revised organisational structure and a new approach to innovation. He left Bayer at the end of 2015 and has worked as a consultant and advisor ever since.
Personal
Gunnar lives in Berlin, with his wife, and together they have 4 grown-up children. He is a member of the advisory board of various businesses and advises selected investment funds. Gunnar has broad political and economic interests, enjoys reading a lot and is passionate about rowing which he practices actively.