Merck Appoints Surendralal Karsanbhai To Board Of Directors

Merck, a firm recognised as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada, announced today that Surendralal L. “Lal” Karsanbhai, the president and CEO of Emerson Electric Co, will join its board of directors starting January 1, 2025. His position will be subject to shareholder approval during Merck’s annual meeting in May 2025. Along with Mr Karsanbhai, the board will expand to 13 members.

Robert M. Davis, Merck's chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement, “We are pleased to welcome Lal Karsanbhai to the Merck board. Lal brings extensive business and operational expertise with a strong global perspective, and we look forward to his contributions and insights.”

Mr Karsanbhai started his career at Emerson in 1995 and held various leadership roles before becoming CEO and a board member in 2021. Beyond Emerson, he is the deputy chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and a US-China Business Council board member. Mr. Karsanbhai earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis.