Global science and technology company Merck has appointed Benjamin Hein as the new head of its Electronics division, accelerating its semiconductor-focused growth.

Merck has officially announced the appointment of Benjamin Hein as member of the Merck Board of Management and CEO of the Electronics business, effective May 1, 2026.

He will succeed Kai Beckmann, who takes over as CEO of Merck Group on the same day.

Benjamin Hein, a strategic expert who has held various key global positions within Merck, will be based at the company's headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, where he will lead the growth of the company's semiconductor-focused electronics business.

Merck explained that this personnel change was a strategic decision to strengthen competitiveness in the rapidly changing semiconductor and advanced materials markets.

Johannes Baillou E. “Benjamin Hein has accelerated the growth of the company at Merck for the past 13 years through consistent strategic vision and innovation leadership,” said the Chairman of the Board of Management and Family Board of Merck KG. “His global experience spanning Asia, Europe and the United States makes him ideally suited to lead the Electronics division.”

To ensure a smooth transition, Benjamin Hein will join the leadership team as Head of Business Growth and Customer Value for the Electronics division, effective March 1.

He previously served as Head of Life Science Services, where he oversaw the CDMO and contract testing business and led a globally integrated organization encompassing R&D, manufacturing, supply chain, and sales and marketing in Burlington, Massachusetts.

In particular, as Head of Group Strategy and CEO Office, he played a key role in establishing Merck's mid- to long-term growth strategy, and in the Electronics business unit, he led major M&A deals, including the acquisitions of Versum Materials and Intermolecular.

Since then, he has been evaluated as having successfully led the transition to a semiconductor-centered portfolio through the 'Bright Future' project.

While working at the Taiwan branch, he achieved double-digit growth rates in the Greater China and Southeast Asia regions, strengthening partnerships with major semiconductor customers.

Since then, he has led the specialty gas business, further enhancing operational and commercial strategy capabilities.

Benjamin Hein holds a Masters in Marketing and Strategy from Queensland University of Technology, Australia, and Maastricht University, Netherlands, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the German-American Business Council.

Under his leadership, Merck expects its Electronics business unit to continue its growth in the next-generation semiconductor materials market.