Männedorf, Switzerland, October 6, 2017 - The Tecan
Group (SIX Swiss Exchange: TECN) announced today that a succession
process for the Board of Directors has been initiated. Rolf
Classon, born in 1945 and member of the Board and Chairman since
2009, and Gérard Vaillant, born in 1942 and member of the Board
since 2004, will not stand for re-election at the ordinary Annual
General Meeting on April 17, 2018. Dr. Lukas Braunschweiler and Dr.
Daniel R. Marshak will be proposed for election as new members. As
the successor of Rolf Classon, Dr. Lukas Braunschweiler will be
proposed for election as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Over the past few
years, Tecan has undergone a process of positive development
enjoying profitable growth above market average. Under the tenure
of Dr. David Martyr, CEO since 2012, and a strengthened leadership
team, Tecan has brought to market a number of new major instrument
platforms. It has also increased recurrent revenues from
consumables, today already contributing over 40% of total sales.
Geographical expansion has been strongly pushed forward, with a
particular focus on China. The core business was further
strengthened through four company acquisitions and the divestment
of a non-strategic business segment. Under the tenure of Rolf
Classon as Chairman, Corporate Governance has also been
strengthened by removing the registration and voting limitations in
place, thereby making the Tecan share more attractive.
Rolf Classon commented:
"Today Tecan is in solid shape and the foundations have been laid
for many more years of strong development. Therefore, this is a
good point in time to initiate a succession process for the Board
of Directors. I am very happy that, with Lukas Braunschweiler and
Daniel R. Marshak, two highly successful and experienced leaders
will be proposed for election. I take the chance to wholeheartedly
thank Gérard Vaillant for his contribution over many years as
member of the Board and in his role as acting CEO in 2012."
Two
new members will be proposed
Dr. Lukas Braunschweiler, born in 1956, is CEO of Sonova Holding AG
(SIX Swiss Exchange: SOON) since 2011 and will remain in his role
until end of March 2018. He has already been a member of the Board
of Directors of the Tecan Group and Chairman of the Audit
Committee, from 2009 until 2012. Before his role at Sonova, he was
with RUAG Holding AG as CEO. He previously was a Delegate of the
Board of Directors and CEO of Dionex Corporation, a US-based
manufacturer of laboratory instruments (today part of Thermo Fisher
Scientific Inc.). He also held executive positions at a number of
major high-tech companies including Mettler-Toledo and Landis &
Gyr. Lukas Braunschweiler graduated from the Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) in physical chemistry and is a
Swiss citizen. He currently serves as a member of the Board of
Directors of Schweiter Technologies AG (SIX Swiss Exchange: SWTQ).
In addition, the Board of Directors of Sonova has announced to
propose Lukas Braunschweiler for election as a member of the Board
of Directors of Sonova at its Annual General Meeting in June
2018.
Dr. Daniel R. Marshak,
born in 1957, is an experienced executive in the life sciences,
diagnostics and biopharmaceuticals industries, leading high
technology, global businesses and R&D functions for more than
20 years. From 2006 to 2014 he worked at PerkinElmer, Inc. (NYSE:
PKI). In his last role as Senior Vice President and Chief
Scientific Officer, he was responsible for all science and
technology as well as research and development activities and also
led several acquisitions during that time. Before joining
PerkinElmer, Daniel R. Marshak was Vice President and Chief
Technology Officer, Biotechnology, at Cambrex Corporation (NYSE:
CBM) and Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at
Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. (OTC: OSIR). Prior to his corporate
career, he held various research positions in academia and research
institutions, such as Adjunct Associate Professor at The Johns
Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Senior Staff Investigator
at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and Assistant Professor, School
of Medicine at State University of New York at Stony Brook. Daniel
R. Marshak studied Biochemistry at Harvard University and holds a
Ph.D. in Biochemistry & Cell Biology from The Rockefeller
University in New York. He is a US citizen and currently serves as
a member of the Board of Directors of InVivo Therapeutics Holdings
Corporation (NASDAQ: NVIV) and privately held Upside
Biotechnologies, Ltd. in Auckland, New Zealand.
About
Tecan
Tecan (www.tecan.com) is a leading global provider of laboratory
instruments and solutions in biopharmaceuticals, forensics and
clinical diagnostics. The company specializes in the development,
production and distribution of automated workflow solutions for
laboratories in the life sciences sector. Its clients include
pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, university research
departments, forensic and diagnostic laboratories. As an original
equipment manufacturer (OEM), Tecan is also a leader in developing
and manufacturing OEM instruments and components that are then
distributed by partner companies. Founded in Switzerland in 1980,
the company has manufacturing, research and development sites in
both Europe and North America and maintains a sales and service
network in 52 countries. In 2016, Tecan generated sales of CHF 506
million (USD 511 million; EUR 464 million). Registered shares of
Tecan Group are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (TECN; ISIN
CH0012100191).
For
further information:
Tecan
Group
Martin Braendle
Vice President, Communications & Investor Relations
Tel. +41 (0) 44 922 84 30
Fax +41 (0) 44 922 88 89
investor@tecan.com
www.tecan.com
Press Release