Matthias Berninger

Matthias Berninger is the Executive Vice President and heads Public Affairs, Sustainability, and Safety for Bayer globally. In this role, he has strengthened Bayer's global public affairs practice and developed a comprehensive sustainability strategy published in December 2019. Since 2023, he has also served as the Human Rights Officer for the Bayer Group, reporting to the CEO. Matthias is a member of the Advisory Board of the Hans & Berthold Finkelstein Foundation and the Board of Trustees for the Bayer Cares Foundation.

Born in Kassel, Germany, Matthias studied chemistry and political science from 1990 to 1994. From 1994 to 2007, he was elected four times to the German Federal Parliament for the Green Party from Hesse, focusing on agricultural reform, trade policy, food safety, and renewable energies. He served as State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture from 2001 to 2005 and led the Greens in Hesse, managing election campaigns at both federal and state levels.

After retiring from Parliament in 2007, Matthias joined Mars in Europe to build a public affairs team and support the development of Mars' global health and nutrition strategy. In 2008, he became Global Head of Public Policy at Mars Incorporated, leading the development of a cocoa sustainability strategy. By 2011, he led the global public affairs organization and played a key role in Mars' sustainability strategy.

Matthias lives with his wife and children in Washington, DC, and holds dual U.S. and German citizenship.