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Albert Baehny

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Albert Baehny
NationalitySwiss
OccupationBusiness executive, corporate chairman
TitleCEO, Lonza Group; Chairman of the Board, Geberit; Former Chairman of the Board, Lonza Group
Known forChairman of Geberit, Chairman and interim CEO of Lonza Group, CEO of Lonza Group

Albert Baehny is a Swiss business executive who has held senior leadership positions at major Swiss multinational corporations. He is known for his role as Chairman of the Board of Geberit, the Swiss manufacturer of sanitary products and piping systems, and for his tenure as Chairman of the Board of Lonza Group, a Swiss multinational operating in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and nutrition sectors. During his six-year chairmanship at Lonza, Baehny oversaw a period of major strategic transformation for the contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), navigating leadership transitions and guiding the company through key moments in the global biopharmaceutical industry. His announcement to step down from the Lonza chairmanship in January 2024, effective May of that year, marked the end of an era defined by both expansion and executive turbulence at the company.[1] Baehny also played a direct operational role at Lonza, stepping in as interim executive leader when CEO Marc Funk left the company after a brief tenure.[2] Following the appointment of Wolfgang Wienand as permanent CEO, Baehny subsequently returned to an executive leadership role at Lonza and was serving as CEO of the company as of the first quarter of 2026.[3]

Career

Geberit

Albert Baehny is closely associated with Geberit, the Swiss manufacturer headquartered in Rapperswil-Jona that specialises in sanitary technology and bathroom ceramics. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Geberit, a role through which he became a well-known figure in Swiss corporate governance circles. Geberit, listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, is a constituent of the Swiss Market Index and ranks among Switzerland's larger industrial companies. Baehny's leadership at Geberit established his reputation as a senior figure in Swiss industry before his appointment at Lonza Group.

In 2023, Geberit's shareholders approved a change to the company's board age limit, raising it to 75 years, a revision that was noted in Swiss corporate governance discussions in the context of long-serving board members such as Baehny.[4] The change was part of a broader pattern observed across Swiss boardrooms, where experienced long-tenured chairpersons have continued in governance roles for extended periods, drawing both admiration for continuity and scrutiny regarding board renewal.

Chairman of Lonza Group

In 2018, Baehny became Chairman of the Board of Lonza Group, taking the helm of one of Switzerland's most prominent companies in pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturing.[1] Lonza Group, headquartered in Basel, is a global contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) providing services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and nutrition industries. The company operates major facilities across Europe, North America, and South Asia and is a component of the Swiss Market Index.[5]

During his tenure as chairman, Lonza underwent considerable strategic development and operational change. The company deepened its focus on biopharmaceutical manufacturing, positioning itself as one of the world's leading CDMOs. Lonza's role in the global pharmaceutical supply chain became particularly visible during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the company partnered with Moderna to scale up manufacturing capacity for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine outside the United States. This partnership brought significant public attention to Lonza and demonstrated the company's central importance in global biopharmaceutical manufacturing infrastructure. The formal collaboration agreement between Lonza and Moderna was announced in November 2020, with Lonza committing large-scale manufacturing capacity at its facilities in Visp, Switzerland and Portsmouth, New Hampshire.[6]

Under Baehny's board leadership, Lonza also expanded its capabilities in cell and gene therapy, including operations at facilities in the United States.[7] The company maintained a diversified global manufacturing footprint, with operations in India's Genome Valley and other locations across multiple continents.[8]

CEO Transitions and Governance Challenges

One defining feature of Baehny's chairmanship at Lonza was a series of unexpected leadership changes at the chief executive level. These drew scrutiny from investors and industry analysts.

In 2023, Lonza CEO Pierre-Alain Ruffieux departed unexpectedly, attracting significant attention from analysts and the financial press. An analyst cited by BioProcess International suggested that Ruffieux's unexpected exit was "most likely the Board's loss of confidence in his execution."[9] Ruffieux was succeeded by Marc Funk, who himself left the company after serving only approximately nine months in the role. The company described Funk's sudden exit as being for "personal reasons."[2][10] The repeated turnover at the CEO level, with two chief executives departing in relatively quick succession, became a focal point of discussion about Lonza's governance and the board's role in managing executive leadership.

After Funk's departure in March 2024, Baehny assumed direct operational leadership of Lonza on an interim basis, taking over executive responsibilities while the board searched for a permanent replacement.[2] His willingness to step into the role demonstrated an active, hands-on governance approach, though the dual function of chairman and acting chief executive also drew scrutiny from governance observers regarding the separation of board oversight and operational management.

Despite these challenges, Baehny worked to maintain strategic continuity for the company. In November 2023, as chairman, Baehny publicly addressed questions about Lonza's strategic direction, notably ruling out plans for the company to use its manufacturing capacity to fill syringes and provide final production steps for new obesity drugs. That market segment was attracting intense interest across the pharmaceutical industry at the time.[11] This decision reflected a strategic focus on Lonza's core biopharmaceutical CDMO business rather than diversification into adjacent manufacturing services.

Announcement of Retirement and Succession

On 26 January 2024, Lonza announced that Baehny would step down as chairman at the company's annual general meeting in May 2024, ending a six-year tenure in the role. The announcement came alongside the company's confirmation of its financial targets, and investors received the news positively, with Lonza's shares rising on the day of the announcement.[1] Reuters reported the departure as part of a "second senior management reshuffle" at the company, reflecting the broader pattern of leadership changes that had characterised the preceding period.[1]

In March 2024, CEO Marc Funk formally stepped down. Baehny took over executive duties on an interim basis while a successor was identified.[2]

In April 2024, Lonza announced the appointment of Wolfgang Wienand, serving at that time as CEO of the Swiss CDMO Siegfried, as the new Chief Executive Officer of Lonza. Wienand was set to transition into the role over the summer of 2024.[12][13] Fierce Pharma described the hire as Lonza "poach[ing] CEO from rival" and noted the appointment came as Lonza was preparing for significant growth, including the integration of a plant acquired from Roche.[14] BioProcess International framed the appointment in the context of Baehny's retirement, noting that "Wolfgang Wienand will take command of Lonza as Albert Baehny retires."[15] Upon Wienand's formal assumption of the CEO role, Baehny stepped down from his ad interim CEO position, with the transition completing the handover of both board chairmanship and operational leadership simultaneously.[16]

The completion of Baehny's tenure and the appointment of Wienand marked the end of a turbulent governance period for Lonza and the beginning of a new leadership structure for the company.

Return to Executive Leadership

Despite having stepped back from both the chairmanship and the interim CEO role upon Wienand's arrival, Baehny subsequently returned to an executive leadership position at Lonza. By the first quarter of 2026, Baehny was serving as CEO of Lonza Group, participating directly in the company's quarterly earnings communications.[3] The Q1 2026 earnings call, which highlighted robust growth and ongoing strategic shifts at the company, featured Baehny in the role of CEO, indicating a further evolution in his long-standing relationship with Lonza's executive leadership.[3] The precise circumstances of his return to the chief executive role and the departure of Wolfgang Wienand had not been fully detailed in publicly available sources as of mid-2026.

Strategic Decisions and Industry Impact

Baehny oversaw decisions during his chairmanship that shaped Lonza's positioning within the rapidly evolving CDMO industry. The global biopharmaceutical sector experienced significant growth during the late 2010s and early 2020s, driven by advances in biologics, cell and gene therapies, and the urgent demand for vaccine manufacturing capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lonza's partnership with Moderna for COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing was among the most visible developments during Baehny's chairmanship. The company's role in scaling up production of the mRNA-based vaccine outside the United States demonstrated the strategic value of Lonza's large-scale manufacturing infrastructure and its capacity for rapid expansion.[17]

His 2023 decision to steer Lonza away from the obesity drug fill-finish market showed a governance approach that prioritised the company's existing competencies in biologics and custom manufacturing over opportunistic diversification. Competitors and investors showed enthusiasm for the sector, but the Lonza board under Baehny's leadership elected not to pursue it.[11]

By the end of fiscal year 2023, Lonza reported operating income of CHF 880 million and net income of CHF 655 million, with total assets of CHF 16.8 billion and shareholder equity of CHF 9.51 billion. The company employed approximately 18,000 people globally.<ref name="

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Lonza chairman to step down, drugmaker confirms targets, shares soar". Reuters. 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Lonza CEO steps down". Cleanroom Technology. 2024-03-29. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Earnings call transcript: Lonza Group Q1 2026 sees robust growth amid strategic shifts". Investing.com. Retrieved 2026-05-01.
  4. ↑ "Viele Verwaltungsräte behalten ihr Mandat über Jahrzehnte". Bilanz. Retrieved 2026-05-01.
  5. ↑ "About Us". Lonza Group. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ "Lonza and Moderna enter collaboration". Lonza Group. 2020-11-02. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ "Lonza opens cell and gene therapy facility in Pearland, TX". Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ "Lonza to invest Rs 250 cr in Genome Valley". Business Standard. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ↑ "Loss of confidence? Another Lonza CEO unexpectedly leaves". BioProcess International. 2023-09-18. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ↑ "Lonza leader Marc Funk quits after just nine months as CEO". Fierce Pharma. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Exclusive: Manufacturer Lonza says it will not fill obesity drug syringes". FirstWord Pharma. 2023-11-17. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ↑ "Lonza appoints new Chief Executive". European Pharmaceutical Review. 2024-04-02. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  13. ↑ "Lonza makes decision on new CEO". Cleanroom Technology. 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  14. ↑ "Lonza poaches CEO from rival as it prepares to reap rewards of Roche plant buy". Fierce Pharma. 2024-04-02. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  15. ↑ "Ins & Outs Special: Lonza bags CEO from rival CDMO". BioProcess International. 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  16. ↑ "Lonza appoints Wolfgang Wienand as CEO". Manufacturing Chemist. Retrieved 2026-05-01.
  17. ↑ "Lonza and Moderna enter collaboration". Lonza Group. 2020-11-02. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
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