Michael Goettler
About Michael Goettler
Independent, non-employee director of Bausch Health Companies Inc. (BHC) appointed July 22, 2025; former CEO and director of Viatris with 30+ years of global pharma leadership across Pfizer/Upjohn, Pfizer Inflammation & Immunology, Pfizer Rare Disease, Sanofi Aventis, and Hoechst Marion Roussel Korea. Education: MBA, The University of Texas at Austin; Diplom-Kaufmann (business), WHU–Otto Beisheim School of Management (Koblenz School of Corporate Management). As of August 18, 2025, he reported no BHC share ownership and no rights to acquire within 60 days .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viatris, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer; Director | Nov 2020 – Mar 2023 | Led integration of Mylan and Pfizer’s Upjohn; achieved cost synergies; set growth strategy . |
| Pfizer Inc. (Upjohn Division) | Group President, Upjohn; Member, Pfizer Executive Leadership Team | Began 2018 (end date not disclosed) | Led global generics/established medicines; Asia/Europe commercial experience . |
| Pfizer Inc. | Global President, Inflammation & Immunology | Not disclosed | Oversaw late-stage/early development; rheumatology/dermatology/GI portfolio . |
| Pfizer Inc. | Global President, Rare Disease Business | Not disclosed | Initiated Pfizer’s commercial move into gene therapy . |
| Sanofi Aventis | Senior roles (U.S./Japan) | Not disclosed | Business development, eBusiness, global marketing . |
| Hoechst Marion Roussel Korea | Executive Vice President & CEO | Not disclosed | Country leadership; multinational P&L . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bausch Health Companies Inc. | Director | Appointed Jul 22, 2025 | Board committees: Talent & Compensation; Science & Technology . |
| Viatris, Inc. | Director | 2020 – 2023 | Served concurrently as CEO . |
| Population Services International (PSI) | Board member | Not disclosed | Global health nonprofit governance . |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Talent & Compensation Committee (member); Science & Technology Committee (member) .
- Independence status: Non-employee director, eligible under BHC’s non-employee director compensation policy .
- Attendance: 2024 attendance data not applicable; appointed in 2025; no attendance disclosures yet in 2025 proxy (no Goettler listing).
- Director ownership guidelines: Must hold equity valued at 5× the $100,000 annual Board cash retainer (i.e., $500,000) within five years of appointment; applies to all non-employee directors. Goettler has five years from July 22, 2025 to meet this requirement .
- Communications/engagement: Shareholder communications to the Board via IR channels and helpline; Audit & Risk Committee addresses appropriate items .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board cash retainer | $100,000 | Non-employee directors may elect cash or RSUs for fees . |
| Committee member retainers | $15,000 (Talent & Compensation); $12,500 (Science & Technology) | Per-committee member fees; chair roles receive higher retainers (not applicable to Goettler) . |
| Committee chair retainers | $25,000 (Audit & Risk; Talent & Compensation); $20,000 (Nominating & Corporate Governance; Science & Technology; Finance & Transactions) | Policy benchmark; Goettler is not a chair . |
| Additional Non-Executive Chair fee | $150,000 | Paid to Board Chair; not applicable to Goettler . |
Performance Compensation
| Instrument | Grant value | Vesting/Delivery | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSUs (non-employee directors) | $250,000 | Granted on 3rd business day after Annual Meeting; vest/deliver prior to next Annual Meeting unless director elects deferral until separation | None disclosed; RSUs are time-based for directors . |
- Compensation governance: Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee reviews director pay and may retain independent compensation consultants; shareholder-approved cap of $750,000 total annual director compensation per director (cash + equity) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector | Potential Interlock/Conflict | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viatris, Inc. | Global generics/brands | Industry adjacency to BHC | No related-party transactions requiring Item 404(a) disclosure at appointment . |
| PSI (nonprofit) | Global health | None | No commercial overlap with BHC . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Global pharma leadership across originator and generics businesses; deep experience in Asia/Pacific and Europe operations; strategic M&A/integration track record (Viatris) .
- Therapeutic domain oversight: rheumatology, dermatology, gastroenterology; rare diseases and gene therapy commercialization .
- Education: MBA (UT Austin); Diplom-Kaufmann/undergraduate in business (WHU) .
Equity Ownership
| As of Aug 18, 2025 | Shares Owned | Rights to Acquire (≤60 days) | Total Beneficially Owned | % of Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Goettler | 0 | 0 | 0 | <1% (asterisk in table indicates <1%) . |
| Note | None of the shares held by directors/executives in the table are pledged as security | — | — | — |
| Shares outstanding basis | 369,800,365 Common Shares outstanding | — | — | — |
| Table methodology | Includes currently exercisable or within-60-days rights for each person only | — | — | — |
| Pledging/Hedging | No pledges among directors/executives in table; hedging not disclosed | — | — | — |
Citations: .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Relevant committee placements: Talent & Compensation and Science & Technology align with his operating and development expertise .
- Robust director pay governance: independent consultant engagement; annual RSU structure; shareholder cap at $750,000; flexible deferral aligns long-term interests .
- No related-party transactions at appointment under Item 404(a) – reduces conflict risk .
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Watch items / RED FLAGS
- Zero BHC equity ownership as of Aug 18, 2025; alignment relies on time-based RSUs until he accumulates to the $500,000 guideline within five years .
- Prior leadership at Viatris (industry adjacency) necessitates ongoing monitoring for any future related-party transactions or competitive conflicts; none disclosed at appointment .
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Signals
- Appointment increased Board size to bolster capabilities; Chair’s commentary emphasizes leveraging deep industry knowledge, suggesting active engagement expectations .
- Committee mix indicates focus on pay governance and R&D oversight—both are central to investor confidence in BHC’s turnaround and pipeline execution .