Renee Connolly is the Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer and Head of Innovation HR Engagement & Inclusion at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, where she drives the strategic advancement and cultural implementation of the company’s global DE&I efforts at an enterprise level. With a passion for this critical area, she aims to deliver a state-of-the-art business model for DE&I, empowering the global organization to move the needle — for the € 17.5 billion business, for 58,000 employees across 66 countries, and for customers, the community and patients. Connolly’s focus is on the intersection where DE&I efforts support the company’s purpose alongside employees’ professional goals.

In her nearly 18 years with the company, Connolly has been a driver of change, builder of teams and nurturer of culture to support the global business and its employee base.