Frankfurt | Reuters — Bayer ex-chief executive Marijn Dekkers opposed the company’s plans for a US$62 billion takeover of U.S. seeds firm Monsanto, German magazine Der Spiegel reported.
Dekkers warned Bayer non-executive board chairman Werner Wenning against going ahead with the offer, Der Spiegel said in an excerpt of an article to be published on Saturday made available to Reuters on Friday.
The magazine did not specify its sources. Dekkers left to become Unilever chairman in May.
On May 19, Bayer said it had made a non-binding offer for Monsanto, aiming to create the world’s biggest agricultural supplier. Monsanto rejected the offer but has said it is open to further talks.
Dekkers had planned to step down at the end of 2016 but in February that was brought forward to May, with strategy chief Werner Baumann taking the top job.
A Bayer spokesman declined to comment. Dekkers could not be reached for immediate comment.
— Reporting for Reuters by Ludwig Burger.
