Boehringer Ingelheim announced today that Paul Fonteyne, U.S. president and chief executive officer, will retire after 15 years of employment on December 31, 2018. Wolfgang Baiker, M.D, Ph.D, M.B.A., has been appointed to succeed him.

Dr. Baiker, currently senior vice president, Human Pharma Supply & Global Quality and head of the Biopharma Business Unit, joined Boehringer Ingelheim in 1989 as section head for Clinical Development in Biberach, Germany. Since then, Dr. Baiker has served in a number of senior leadership roles across several critical business functions.

“This is the perfect time for Wolfgang Baiker to become Boehringer Ingelheim’s next U.S. President and CEO. Wolfgang is a strong and experienced leader and our U.S. business is in a great position, poised for continued growth,” said Paul Fonteyne. “Our industry and the U.S. market, in particular, is developing and changing at an incredible pace. Wolfgang has a unique ability to help the company anticipate and navigate this dynamic landscape. His strong track record in leading highly-successful teams makes him the perfect choice to continue the strong legacy of Boehringer Ingelheim in the United States.”

During his tenure at Boehringer Ingelheim, Paul Fonteyne oversaw a substantial increase in top line sales and the U.S. launch of Spiriva, the company’s bestselling product to date. Prior to becoming U.S. president and chief executive officer in 2012, Paul spent three years as head of Corporate Marketing in Ingelheim, Germany where he successfully launched Pradaxa and Tradjenta while continuing to grow the human pharmaceuticals portfolio globally.