Bayer U.S. announced Thursday that Raymond F. Kerins Jr., senior vice president of corporate affairs, has been named the chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce‘s Global Innovation Policy Center.
In this role, Kerins will oversee the group and use insights to help shape the chamber’s policies on intellectual property-led innovation and creativity.
Kerins, who joined Bayer in 2013, previously served as vice chairman of GIPC. He also has more than two decades of corporate communications experience. Before Bayer, he served in senior public affairs roles at Pfizer and Merck.
“Ray Kerins has the kind of passion and dedication that inspires others and generates true impact,” David Hirschmann, CEO and president of GIPC, said. “With his work at Bayer, Ray knows better than almost anyone the challenge of developing innovation and transforming it into a life-saving product that can reach billions of people. Ray’s leadership will be pivotal as GIPC works to paves the way for innovators and creators to succeed around the world.”
Kerins said he looks forward to the role and continuing GIPC’s innovation efforts.
“Innovation is crucial to the development of the breakthrough technologies and medical treatments that save and improve lives around the world,” Kerins said. “But without a strong system that protects patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, these lifesaving innovations are imperiled. GIPC is an important defender of the IP rights that allow innovation to thrive, and I am incredibly proud and humbled to serve in this new role.”
