Straumann’s Board of Directors announces proposals for 4 new members in 2010

To further strengthen its competences in international strategic planning, business leadership and entrepreneurial expertise, the Board has decided to propose an increase in the number of Directors from 6 at the beginning of 2009 to 8 in 2010. This, together with the calibre and profile of the proposed individuals, exemplifies Straumann’s efforts to achieve and maintain best practices.

As previously announced1, Dr h.c. Rudolf Maag, Oscar Ronner and Jürg Morant will leave the Board in March 2010. Gilbert Achermann, current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), was elected to the Board earlier this year and has been nominated to succeed Dr h.c. Rudolf Maag as Chairman. Beat Spalinger, current Chief Financial Officer & EVP of Operations will then take over as CEO, and Wolf-Ruediger Daetz, who will join Straumann from Siemens in March 2010, will fill Mr Spalinger’s current position. A new wealth of experience and skills

At the 2010 AGM the following new candidates will be proposed to the shareholders for election to the Board: Roland Hess, Ulrich Looser, Beat Lüthi, and Stefan Meister.

Roland Hess (Swiss, 58) is senior advisor to the Executive Committee of the Board of Schindler Holding AG. He is also President of the Boards of several companies within the Schindler Group. Mr Hess joined Schindler in 1984 and rose through positions of increasing responsibility in Controlling, Finance and Regional Management to become President of the Elevator and Escalator Division. From 1971 to 1984, he worked for Nestlé, initially in accounting, then as an international auditor, and finally as Chief Financial Officer of a Group company. His career includes several years in North and Latin America, in addition to assignments in Europe. He holds a degree in Business Administration from Lucerne Business School and studied at Harvard Business School in Boston. Mr Hess is an accomplished executive, whose experience in compliance, risk management and standardized global procedures will be of particular benefit to Straumann.

Ulrich Looser (Swiss, 52) has been with the Global management consulting company Accenture Ltd since 2001. For the past 3 years he was Chairman of its Swiss affiliate. He was also Managing Director of Accenture’s Products Client Service Group serving various industries in Austria, Switzerland and Germany, including consumer goods and pharmaceuticals. Previously he spent 6 years as a partner at McKinsey & Company Ltd in various consulting positions in engineering, electronics, pharmaceuticals, banking and insurance. Mr Looser’s career began in software development in the IT industry. He graduated in Physics at Zurich ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) and in Economics at the University of St. Gallen. He is a Member of the Board of economiesuisse, where he heads the Competition Commission. He heads a Chapter of the Swiss American Chamber of Commerce, is a Member of the Board of ‘Engineers Shape our Future’, and heads the finance commission of the Swiss Studies Foundation (Schweizerische Studienstiftung). As an expert in strategy, project and human capital management, Mr Looser will be a valuable addition to Straumann.

Dr Beat Lüthi (Swiss, 47) is CEO and Co-owner of CTC Analytics AG, a world leader in gas and liquid chromatography automation. After obtaining his PhD in Electrical Engineering from Zurich ETH, Dr Lütti began his career with Zellweger Uster AG, a leading manufacturer of quality control equipment in textile production. In 1990, he moved to Mettler-Toledo International Inc. and rose to the position of General Manager of the Swiss affiliate. In 1994, he completed an executive program at INSEAD and subsequently joined Feintool International Inc. in 1998. During his 4-year tenure as CEO, the company went public and doubled in size. In 2003, he returned to Mettler Toledo as CEO of the Laboratory Division. At the end of 2007, he joined CTC Analytics near Basel to further develop this medium-sized company as an entrepreneur. Dr Lüthi is currently a Member of the Boards of: Addex Pharma, Bossard Group, Stadler Rail Group, and Uster Technologies. His scientific background together with his entrepreneurism and experience in service businesses are just three of many attributes that make him a candidate of choice.

Having graduated in economics at Basel University, Stefan Meister (Swiss, 44) joined Sandoz Pharma AG in 1991, where he rapidly rose through Controlling to become a member of the Divisional Executive and International Strategic Committees. In 1995, he moved to GEHE AG in Germany to head Group Controlling. When the parent company Celesio AG acquired AAH, the largest pharmaceutical wholesaler in the UK, Mr Meister was appointed Member of the Executive Management of AAH responsible for Finance and Controlling. In 1999, he moved to the Executive Management of Celesio and has been responsible for various Functions, including: Finance and Controlling, IT, the Pharmacy Business, and Human Resources. Celesio is one of several international trading and service companies that are majority owned by the Haniel Group. With effect of January 2010, Stefan Meister will join the Management Board of Haniel. In particular, his experience in strategic portfolio management, finance and human resource management will be valuable to the Straumann Board. Straumann plans for continuity, sustainability and value creation

Dr h.c. Rudolph Maag, who has served as Straumann’s Chairman since 2002, commented: “In a climate of economic uncertainty and recession, many business leaders are reluctant to take on new responsibilities. The fact that we have attracted such high-calibre experienced individuals speaks for the performance, solidity and future prospects of the Straumann Group, which is well positioned to be the global partner of choice in implant, restorative and regenerative dentistry. With an expanded Board and a new Chairman, the Straumann Group will be in excellent hands heading into the new decade. I have every confidence that the proposed leadership team will ensure continuity, sustainable development and long-term value creation.”

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