MilliporeSigma Appoints New Heads of Discovery Solutions and Strategy & Business Development
核心洞察
Clara Sattler de Sousa e Brito has been appointed Head of Discovery Solutions at MilliporeSigma (搜索), effective Q3 2026, bringing leadership experience from Philips, Siemens Healthineers (搜索), and Linde.
Robert Machinek has been named Head of Strategy & Business Development, effective immediately, joining from McKinsey & Company (搜索) where he advised life science and healthcare organizations globally.
Both appointments strengthen the Life Science leadership team as the business advances its strategy to support customers navigating increasingly complex science and digital workflows.
MilliporeSigma (搜索), the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, announced on June 8, 2026, the appointments of Clara Sattler de Sousa e Brito as Head of Discovery Solutions and Robert Machinek as Head of Strategy & Business Development. Sattler de Sousa e Brito will assume her role in the third quarter of 2026, while Machinek assumes his role effective immediately.
Jean-Charles Wirth, Member of the Executive Board and CEO Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, emphasized the strategic importance of these appointments. "The life science industry is at a pivotal moment, with customers working to accelerate discovery and development while navigating more complex science, more digital workflows and rising expectations for speed, reliability and impact," Wirth said. "Our strategy is focused on empowering customers to succeed in this dynamic environment through trusted products, innovative solutions and strong execution. Clara and Robert bring the leadership experience, customer focus and strategic mindset needed to advance that strategy and position our Life Science business for its next phase of growth."
Leadership Profiles
Clara Sattler de Sousa e Brito joins MilliporeSigma (搜索) from Philips International BV (搜索), where she served as Executive Vice President and Market Leader Europe. Her career includes international senior roles at Siemens Healthineers (搜索) and The Linde Group, with profit and loss responsibility across healthcare, medtech, and chemical industries. She brings extensive experience in commercial execution, business development, and digital transformation, with a focus on driving growth and innovation through customer-centric leadership and high-performing teams.
As Head of Discovery Solutions, Sattler de Sousa e Brito will lead the business unit focused on supporting research and early-stage discovery with digital tools, trusted products, and innovative technologies across biology, chemistry, and analytical workflows.
Robert Machinek previously served as interim head of the Strategy & Business Development organization prior to his permanent appointment. Before joining the Life Science business, he was a Partner at McKinsey & Company (搜索), where he led strategic life science and healthcare engagements across North America, Europe, and Asia. His expertise spans strategic growth, major ERP transformations, mergers and acquisitions, digital initiatives, and global operations optimization. Machinek holds a PhD in Physics from the University of Oxford and a B.Sc. in Physics from RWTH Aachen University.
In his new role, Machinek will lead the Life Science business with responsibility for shaping and executing strategy, guiding organic and inorganic growth, ensuring strategic alignment across business units and regions, and overseeing the ERP business program.
About the Life Science Business
The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, operates as MilliporeSigma (搜索) in the U.S. and Canada. The organization has more than 27,000 employees and over 55 total manufacturing and testing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products focused on scientific discovery, biomanufacturing, and testing services. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, operates across healthcare, life science, and electronics, generating sales of €21.1 billion in 65 countries in 2025 with more than 62,000 employees globally.