Basel, 8 December 2020 – The Straumann Group today announced a number of senior leadership appointments to support its growth strategy, to accelerate digital transformation, and to ensure a strong focus on all its business opportunities. In addition to appointing successors to distinguished long-serving members of the Executive Management Board (EMB), the Group is re-allocating the supervision of its EMEA region and creating a Group Chief Information Officer role at EMB level. The new appointments bring in experience, diversity and skills from leading international firms beyond the field of dentistry.

Continuing focus on DSOs

After very successfully building and leading the Group’s dedicated DSO business unit in addition to driving the fast-growth and international expansion of the non-premium brands over the past five years, Petra Rumpf has decided to focus her career on her non-executive board mandates in the healthcare and consumer products sectors. She will therefore conclude her executive responsibility at Straumann at the end of this year. The Group is in the latter stage of the recruitment process and will announce her replacement as soon this has been concluded.

Preserving leadership knowledge and expertise

To continue benefitting from Petra Rumpf’s insights and deep understanding of the dental industry as well as her broad network, the Board of Directors will nominate her for election to the Board at the shareholders’ AGM in April 2021. This proposal is intended to fill the gap left by Monique Bourquin, who is not standing for re-election. She has served on the Board since 2017 and the company would like to thank her sincerely for her contributions in addition to wishing her all the best for the future.

Managing growth in EMEA

Continued growth in the Group’s core businesses, together with the fast expansion of its non-premium franchise and the roll-out of its exciting orthodontics business, all add to leadership challenges in the large EMEA region. To balance the responsibilities and to unlock further growth potential, the Group is re-assigning responsibility for Central and Eastern Europe (including Germany, Austria and Switzerland) to Wolfgang Becker on 1 January 2021, in addition to his current role as EVP Emerging Markets & Distributors EMEA.

Succession in Western Europe

After a distinguished career spanning eleven years at Straumann, the current Head of Europe, Jens Dexheimer, has decided to leave the company at the end of the year to pursue other career opportunities. During his tenure, the region achieved average sales growth of more than 10% over the five-year period prior to COVID-19. This and his former achievements as Head of Iberia and Germany underline his very significant contribution to extending the Group’s market leadership in Europe.

On 1 January 2021, Rob Woolley, the current Head of North America, will take over from Jens as EVP Sales Western Europe. Rob joined Straumann in 2019 and has successfully steered the Group’s North American organization through the pandemic and back to solid revenue growth in Q3. In addition to his career in North America, Rob Woolley has many years of experience in regional leadership in the medical device industry in Europe, making him ideally suited for his new role.

More new talent for North America

The Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Aurelio Sahagun to succeed Rob Woolley as EVP Sales North America and Member of the EMB on 1 January 2021. He joins Straumann having most recently served as President of the Orthopedics Division for the multinational medtech firm Microport Scientific. Before joining them in 2014, he spent seven years at Wright Medical Technology in the Netherlands, initially in finance and subsequently in senior sales and regional management positions. Prior to his medtech career, he spent six years in the finance and banking industry. Aurelio was born in 1973, is Spanish and holds a Bachelors’ degree in Economics from the Autonomous University of Madrid, as well as an MBA from HEC School of Management in France.

Strategic importance of IT and digital transformation reflected in new executive role

Digital transformation is a key to the Group’s strategic development, spanning all businesses, geographies and facets of the Group’s activities. The corona virus pandemic has accelerated digitalization dramatically, changing the way things are done, opening new avenues of opportunity, and emphasizing the need to invest and build further in data management and technology. To drive and lead this, the Group is expanding the role of Chief Information Officer and elevating it to the EMB. The process of recruiting an experienced high-caliber individual for this new position is underway.

Focus on Legal and Compliance

Further business and geographic expansion, in addition to organizational growth, high innovation output, and the increasingly complex legal environment have all added to the demand for international legal expertise, IP management, and compliance across a growing number of jurisdictions. As a result, Dr Andreas Meier will relinquish responsibility for Business Development at year-end in order to concentrate fully on his role as Group Head of Legal, Compliance & IP Management. Although this will not be an executive role, he will continue to participate in EMB meetings in his capacity as Chief Legal Officer.

Straumann Group CEO Guillaume Daniellot commented, “We are sincerely grateful to both Petra and Jens for their tremendous contributions to the Straumann Group over many years – not just in terms of business performance and sustainable leadership, but also as role-models, mentors, cultural ambassadors and friends. We wish them all the best for their future endeavors. At the same time, we are pleased and excited to add the skills, drive, talent and diversity of Aurelio and the other candidates who will join us soon. We wish all of them, together with Wolfgang, Rob and Andreas every success in the future as we continue our journey of creating smiles and restoring confidence”.

About Straumann

The Straumann Group (SIX: STMN) is a global leader in tooth replacement and orthodontic solutions that restore smiles and confidence. It unites global and international brands that stand for excellence, innovation and quality in replacement, corrective and digital dentistry, including Anthogyr, ClearCorrect, Dental Wings, Medentika, Neodent,  Straumann and other fully/partly owned companies and partners. In collaboration with leading clinics, institutes and universities, the Group researches, develops, manufactures and supplies dental implants, instruments, CADCAM prosthetics, biomaterials and digital solutions for use in tooth replacement and restoration or to prevent tooth loss.

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, the Group currently employs approx. 7200 people worldwide and its products, solutions and services are available in more than 100 countries through a broad network of distribution subsidiaries and partners.