Lonza has announced the appointment of Samanta Cimitan as its Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), a newly created role effective January 1, 2027. Cimitan, who currently serves as CEO of the Celonic Group, will also become a Senior Vice President and a member of Lonza's Extended Executive Committee. This strategic hire underscores Lonza's commitment to its One Lonza strategy, which aims to simplify customer engagement and provide seamless access to its full range of services across all business platforms.
The creation of the CCO position comes at a pivotal time for Lonza, as the company seeks to enhance its commercial delivery and harmonize its go-to-market approach. In her role, Cimitan will lead Strategic Enterprise Account Management, Global Marketing, and Commercial Excellence. She will have direct responsibility for Lonza's most important strategic accounts, ensuring that customers can easily navigate the company's integrated offerings. This move is designed to leverage Lonza's extensive capabilities in science, technology, and manufacturing, ultimately helping partners bring innovative therapies to patients faster.
Wolfgang Wienand, CEO of Lonza, expressed enthusiasm about Cimitan's return, stating, "Samanta's appointment to the new role of Chief Commercial Officer is another important step in building One Lonza and making the full power of the Lonza Engine work for our partners in the pharmaceutical industry. Our ambition is clear: Every customer should benefit from the unique breadth of our science, technology and manufacturing capabilities, helping them translate their breakthrough innovations into viable therapies for patients worldwide." Wienand highlighted Cimitan's deep CDMO expertise and commercial leadership, which she honed during her nearly 13-year tenure at Lonza in various commercial and strategy roles, including Vice President of Group Operations Strategy.
Cimitan's extensive background includes driving transformation programs across Commercial, R&D, and Operations at Lonza, and more recently, leading Celonic Group's evolution into a focused biologics CDMO. Her track record in commercial strategy, customer partnership development, and operational execution aligns perfectly with Lonza's goals. "Samanta brings deep CDMO expertise, commercial leadership experience and first-hand knowledge of Lonza. She understands what it takes to build trusted partnerships, execute with commercial discipline and create value across the full development and manufacturing journey," Wienand added.
The appointment reflects Lonza's broader strategy to strengthen customer relationships and streamline its operations. By centralizing commercial functions under one leader, Lonza aims to present a unified face to its clients, making it easier for them to access the company's comprehensive services. This is particularly important as the CDMO industry faces increasing competition and customers demand more integrated solutions.
Lonza's focus on commercial excellence is expected to drive growth and enhance its competitive position. The company recently reported sales of CHF 3.4 billion with a CORE EBITDA of CHF 1.2 billion for the first half of 2026, demonstrating its strong financial performance. Under Cimitan's leadership, Lonza is poised to further capitalize on its capabilities and strengthen its market leadership.
Cimitan's appointment is a clear signal of Lonza's dedication to putting customers at the center of its operations. As she prepares to step into her new role, the industry will be watching to see how she leverages her experience to drive commercial success and foster innovation across the company.
