Bayer announces new pensions manager

Bayer has unveiled a new pensions manager for operations across the UK and Ireland.

Simon Lewis has joined the company following previous roles at the Audit Commission and Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Group.

Reporting to Bayer’s country head of HR, Gary Bothe, the company reports that his previous roles allow him to have a wealth of experience in pensions management.

Mr Lewis said: “Pension arrangements at Bayer have undergone significant change in the last two years.”

He continued that he will develop the company’s programme of financial awareness education and communications, helping employees to understand pension arrangements.

“My role will be to manage the pensions function and to shape and drive the strategic direction of pensions in the UK and Ireland,” he added.

Based in Leverkusen, Germany, Bayer has 106,000 employees worldwide, with a yearly turnover of more than 32 billion euros (26.2 billion pounds) and a product base of 10,000.

The company has three main business areas which are all related to chemistry – material science, healthcare and crop science – with Europe holding most of the company’s turnover at 44 per cent of the total.

Bayer’s UK/Ireland region sees over one billion of euros in sales for the company.