Ulrich Betz Email Address

Vice President Innovation, Head of Department Innovation Incubator

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is a pharmaceutical company which specializes in phamaceutical, chemical, technology, and science.

Accomplished manager with 17 years experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry, including positions reporting directly to the Head of Research and Development at Bayer AG, Merck KGaA and Merck Serono President's Office. Experienced in leading a global department of up to 14 Ph.D.s/M.D.s/MBAs with multiple nationalities. Convincing track record in drug discovery, innovation management, scouting, deal-making, alliance management, portfolio- and project management, co-ordination of senior management teams including post merger integration, design of processes and governance structures. More than 70 publications (e.g. Cell (2x), Nature Medicine, Nature Biotechnology) Enabled dozens of innovation projects for new products with business potential of several hundred million euros in an innovation incubator at Merck Designed and implemented new "outcubation" open innovation approach Invented the Merck Serono Innovation Cup bringing young talent and experienced retirees together to generate breakthrough innovation in diverse teams Designed and rolled-out company wide innovation initiative for global idea sourcing and enablement in an entrepreneurial setting, with direct sponsorship from the Merck board Post merger integration after acquisition of Serono by Merck, design of the new drug discovery process and governance structure Contributed to innovation integration subcommittee during acquisition of Millipore by Merck Defined the preclinical R&D Asia strategy at Merck and executed via a number of key business deals Key contributions to change management in Pharma Research at Bayer during a process of intense global restructuring Identified HCMV inhibitor currently in phase III clinical trials. Identified HSV inhibitor currently in phase II clinical trials. Dr. rer. nat. ("mit Auszeichnung") Dipl. Biochem. ("sehr gut") Scholarship of the German National Academic Foundation, Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes Abitur "1.1" Specialties: Innovation Management, Drug Discovery and Development Strategy, Business Development, Alliance Management, Portfolio Management