- CordenPharma has appointed Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux as Chief Executive Officer, effective October 1, 2026, succeeding Dr. Michael Quirmbach.
- Quirmbach will remain with the company as a Board Member and Senior Advisor following 12 years during which CordenPharma’s annual revenue grew from €245 million to more than €1 billion.
CordenPharma has appointed Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux as Chief Executive Officer, effective October 1, 2026. He will succeed Dr. Michael Quirmbach, who has served as CEO since 2019. As part of the leadership transition, Quirmbach will remain involved as a Board Member and Senior Advisor, providing strategic guidance to the company.
Herbeaux joins CordenPharma from Hovione, where he served as CEO for more than four years. He previously held the role of Chief Operating Officer at Hovione and held several senior positions at Evonik. At CordenPharma, he will be responsible for executing the company’s long-term strategy, with a focus on growth, operational execution, customer delivery and the development of its global platform.
The leadership change follows a period of expansion and investment at CordenPharma. The company recently acquired peptide CDMO AmbioPharm and has continued investing in development and manufacturing capacity across its network. CordenPharma now employs approximately 3,500 people and operates a manufacturing network across the US, Europe and Asia, supporting customers from early development through commercial manufacturing.
Quirmbach joined CordenPharma in 2014 and became CEO in 2019. During his 12 years with the company, he oversaw the development of its platform strategy, investments in capabilities and capacity, global expansion and site integration. CordenPharma’s annual revenue increased from €245 million to more than €1 billion during his tenure.
Commenting on the transition, Judith Charpentier, Co-Managing Partner & Co-Head of Flagship, said: “Michael has made an exceptional contribution to CordenPharma over the past 12 years, playing a defining role in building the global CDMO it is today.” Incoming CEO Herbeaux said his focus would be to “execute our growth plans with discipline, deepen our partnerships with customers and continue strengthening the capabilities they rely on to develop and manufacture critical medicines for patients around the world.”
