Full Press Release Details
Buehler Appointed President and CEO of Alcon; Cary Rayment to Continue as
Chairman of the Board
H NENBERG, Switzerland - January 8,
2009 - Alcon, Inc. (NYSE:ACL) announced today that on April 1, 2009 Kevin
Buehler will become president and chief executive officer of Alcon,
Inc. Cary Rayment will retire as president and chief executive
officer effective March 31, 2009, but will continue to serve as a director and
the (non-executive) chairman of the board. Mr. Buehler will also be
nominated as a board member, which shareholders will vote on at the Annual
General Meeting on May 5, 2009.
"I am delighted and excited to have the
opportunity to lead Alcon and our 15,000 employees into the future," said Mr.
Buehler. "Alcon is well-positioned as the leader in our industry and I will do
all that I can to build on that sound foundation to allow Alcon to achieve
sustained growth in the future."
Mr. Buehler, 51, is currently senior
vice president, global markets and chief marketing officer of Alcon
Laboratories, Inc., a subsidiary of Alcon, Inc., the world's largest eye care
company. In this capacity, he is responsible for all aspects of the company's
Surgical, Pharmaceutical and Consumer groups, and is integral in the development
and execution of corporate strategy. During his 24-year tenure at Alcon, Mr.
Buehler has developed extensive knowledge of Alcon's global
joining Alcon in 1984 as a regional sales manager in the Consumer Products
Division, Mr. Buehler moved up through this organization over the next several
years where he held numerous sales and marketing positions. In 1996, Mr. Buehler
was named director of Alcon's Managed Care and Falcon Generic Pharmaceutical
groups, where he gained significant experience with the pharmaceutical and
surgical business areas and was promoted to vice president in 1998. The
following year he returned to the U.S. Consumer Products Division as vice
president and general manager. In January of 2002, Mr. Buehler moved to the
International Division as vice president and regional manager, Latin America and
Caribbean. He was later named area vice president, Latin America, Canada,
Australia and Far East.
Mr. Buehler holds a Bachelor of Science
degree from Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin, with concentrations in
Business Administration and Political Science. He graduated from the Harvard
Program for Management Development in 1993.
Rayment joined Alcon when it acquired Coopervison Surgical in
1989. He has been integral to the company's growth throughout his
long career as a manager and executive of Alcon. Mr. Rayment has been president
and chief executive officer of Alcon since October of 2004 and chairman since
May, 2005. During that time, he has led the company to solid gains in
sales and earnings and expanded Alcon's leadership of the eye care industry.
With his extensive industry knowledge and experience across all divisions of
Alcon, his continued service as chairman of the board will be supportive of this
management transition and the continuation of Alcon's growth
an exceptionally long and rewarding career at Alcon and it has been my honor and
privilege to lead the company for the last four and a half years as president
and CEO," said Mr. Rayment. "I have the utmost confidence in Kevin's
ability to successfully lead this organization, and I look forward to continue
working with the board on the strategic opportunities of Alcon's
Inc. is the world's leading eye care company, with sales of $5.6 billion in
2007. Alcon, which has been dedicated to the ophthalmic industry for more than
50 years, develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceuticals, surgical equipment
and devices, contact lens solutions and other vision care products that treat
diseases, disorders and other conditions of the eye.
Caution Concerning Forward-Looking
Statements. This press release may contain forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Any forward- looking statements reflect the views of our
management as of the date of this press release with respect to future events
and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Given these
uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements. Except to the extent required under the federal securities laws and
the rules and regulations promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission,
we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any of these
forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information or future events
or circumstances or otherwise.
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