Udit Batra, the head of the Boston life sciences division of a German company, will replace outgoing Waters Corp. CEO and president Christopher O’Connell in September, the Milford life sciences technology company announced on Wednesday.
Last month, Waters Corp. announced O’Connell’s impending departure and said a search for his replacement was already underway. The separation was reportedly mutual. O’Connell is set to stay on with Waters in an advisory capacity until the end of the year in order to support the transition, according to a Wednesday press release.
Batra will assume his new roles on Sept. 1, when O’Connell will officially step down. He will concurrently join the board of directors.
Batra joins Waters after most recently serving as CEO of MillporeSigma, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA of Germany. In that role, he oversaw the integration of Sigma-Aldrich, which was acquired in 2015, according to a press release.
Before his work with MillporeSigma, Batra served as president and CEO of Merck’s consumer health business, during which he led a turnaround that reportedly nearly doubled its profitability.
“His focus on commercial execution and innovation, proven ability to build strong and collaborative cultures and intense commitment to serving customers have translated into tangible results,” said Flemming Ornskov, chairman of the Waters board, said of Batra in a statement. “Building on Waters’ strong foundation, we look forward to the Company’s next phase of innovation and growth with Udit at the helm.”
Waters Corp., which has a reported $2 billion in annual revenue, has struggled in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Sales reportedly dropped 10% in the first quarter of the year, with operating income declining $53 million in the first three months.
