Bayer CropScience appoints Pankaj Patel as chairman

NEW DELHI: Bayer CropScience today appointed Pankaj Patel as non-executive director and chairman of the company following beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya's resignation last month.

In a filing to the BSE, Bayer CropScience informed that the board, in its meeting held today, appointed Pankaj Patel as an additional non-executive director of the company with effect from July 5.

"The Board further appointed Pankaj Patel as the Chairman of the Board with effect from July 5, 2016 to chair all the meetings of the Board of Directors and the General Meetings of the company," it added.

Last month, Mallya had resigned as the Chairman of Bayer CropScience Ltd after over 12 years of holding the position in the company. Mallya ceased to be the Chairman and Director with effect from June 30.

Pankaj Patel is the Chairman and Managing Director of Zydus Cadila, one of India's leading pharmaceutical groups and an innovation-driven, global healthcare firm with operations in more than 50 countries worldwide, Bayer CropScience said in a statement.

With an experience spanning over 40 years in the Indian pharmaceutical industry, Patel combines both research and techno-commercial expertise.

Patel is also the Chairman of Bayer Zydus Pharma Pvt Ltd - a joint venture company between Bayer (South East Asia) Pte Ltd and Cadila Healthcare Ltd.

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in life science fields of healthcare and agriculture. In India, Bayer CropScience is into seed and crop protection business.