PhD chemist Markus Eckert joined the Bayer Group in 1999 as a laboratory manager and project manager in the research & development section of the Fine Chemicals Business Unit. He was transferred to Shanghai, where he headed regional strategic planning at Bayer Polymers Asia/Pacific. He was subsequently appointed assistant to the chairman of the LANXESS Board of Management, Dr Axel C Heitmann and, as a member of the business design project team, worked intensively on the establishment of LANXESS as a specialty chemicals group. Since April 1, 2005, he has been head of the corporate development group.
Dr Bernhard Wehling began his career at Bayer in Leverkusen in 1976. Until 1980 he worked in the central scientific laboratory, where he was involved in the synthesis of optical brighteners and fluorescent dyestuffs.
He then spent two years in the special dyeing department, where he was responsible for the colouring of plastics. After that, he worked for a year in chrome research, heading among other things the Applications Development Department for chrome tanning materials. In 1983 Wehling moved to the marketing department of the former Bayer Dyestuffs Business Group, latterly holding the post of head of wet operations. In 1992 he was appointed head of the Dyestuffs and Fibres division of Bayer South Africa in Johannesburg. In 1995 he moved to Italy to take over as managing director of DyStar Italia in Milan.
Wehling returned to Leverkusen on April 1, 2001 to head the Fine Chemicals marketing department in the Basic and Fine Chemicals Business Group. Since July 2002 Dr Bernhard Wehling has been head of LANXESS¹s Leather business unit.