Basel, 3 February 2020 – The Straumann Group announced today that its Head of Research, Development & Operations, Dr Gerhard Bauer, is planning to retire at the end of June this year. He will be succeeded by Mark Johnson, a highly experienced executive engineer with a strong track record in manufacturing and operations, in the medical devices industry and other fields. Based in Basel, Mr Johnson will be a Member of the Executive Management Board and will join the company on 1 May.

Straumann Group CEO Guillaume Daniellot commented, “We have a first-class production organization, a solid blueprint for the future, and a strong RD&O team. We are sincerely grateful to Gerhard for this and his tremendous contribution to the Straumann Group in general. We wish him and his family all the best for his retirement. We also wish Mark Johnson every success in the future. We are glad to have his operational and business experience as our global business continues to innovate and expand in an increasingly regulated environment”.

Gerhard Bauer has been with Straumann since 2010 and has made significant contributions to the company’s performance, culture and reputation. During his tenure, production output and the number of new SKUs have risen significantly. At the same time, gross margin has increased year by year, reflecting the introduction of state-of-the-art technologies – including robotics and vision inspection systems – and the implementation of Lean processes. Under his leadership, Straumann has continuously extended its manufacturing sites in Switzerland and the US, in addition to building up its biomaterials production unit in Sweden. The Quality & Regulatory Management team has successfully adapted to changing global requirements and its regulatory audit record is excellent. Furthermore, the Group is well prepared for the forthcoming European MDR. The R&D group has conducted and documented countless studies and obtained countless registrations, helping to bring predictable innovative treatments and solutions to customers and their patients around the world.

Mark Johnson is a highly experienced medical-device operations executive with an engineering background. He gained international leadership experience in manufacturing and operations technology early in his career before moving to the medical device industry. He has more than 20 years of experience in medical device operations, including FDA Class II and Class III products. He has led various R&D-related functions in the course of his career, which includes three years in the dental sector with Philips Oral Healthcare (Sonicare), where he headed the R&D, Operations and Quality functions.

He joins the Straumann Group from Epredia (formerly the Anatomical Pathology Division of Thermo Fisher Scientific, which was acquired by KKR in a carve-out transaction), where he was responsible for Global operations since 2016. In this role, he led 10 manufacturing sites in six countries. He spent the previous 10 years with Medtronic with responsibility for Operations and Supply Chain, initially in the Physio-Control Division and latterly in Surgical Technologies, where he led 14 manufacturing locations with an annual turnover of USD 2 billion. From 2003 to 2006, he worked for Philips Electronics Oral Healthcare (Sonicare), and from 1999 to 2003, he held senior managerial positions in two manufacturing firms serving the medical device and computer industries.

Mark Johnson holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington and also graduated in the Management Program at Foster School of Business at the same university. He is a Six Sigma Green Belt (Motorola, Flextronics) and a Certified Lean Expert. He is an American citizen and was born in 1958.

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, Neodent, Medentika, 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. 7600 people worldwide and its products, solutions and services are available in more than 100 countries through a broad network of distribution subsidiaries and partners.