Bayer AG has set its next financial leadership transition in motion, appointing Dr. Judith Hartmann to the company’s Board of Management ahead of her move into the CFO role on June 1, 2026. She will step in as longtime finance chief Wolfgang Nickl retires after seven years in the position. Hartmann brings a global operating background shaped by senior finance roles at ENGIE and Bertelsmann, as well as earlier leadership posts across multiple GE businesses in the United States, Europe, and Latin America. She most recently served as an Operating Partner at Sandbrook Capital, giving her direct involvement in capital allocation and operational oversight within large-scale climate-infrastructure investments.
The appointment continues Bayer’s pattern of selecting finance leaders with both multinational experience and exposure to complex, diversified businesses. Hartmann has held board roles at Unilever, Marsh McLennan, Ørsted, and Suez, adding governance depth to her operational track record. As Bayer prepares for its next phase of strategic and financial planning, her background spans corporate restructuring, global P&L responsibility, and finance leadership across energy, media, and industrial sectors. She will join the Board on March 1, 2026, providing a three-month transition window before assuming full responsibility for the company’s financial organization.
