The glyphosate nightmare never ends for the Bayer Group.
The tough struggle with the plaintiff's attorneys continues after the failure of a proposed solution before the district court in San Francisco, the financial risks remain incalculable.
Bayer boss Werner Baumann speaks of a "dead end".
A new five-point plan should now bring the solution, and there is still hope for the higher authority. The question is whether Baumann still has enough time for this. Because the pressure on the driver of the 63 billion dollar takeover of the controversial pesticide manufacturer Monsanto is growing. Since the purchase, the value of the share has more than halved, not to mention the damage to its image. In essence, the question is not whether glyphosate is carcinogenic or not - Bayer has most of the science on its side here. It's about whether the management has misjudged the legal risks.
In 2019, the shareholders refused to discharge Baumann as the first incumbent Dax boss. As a captain in rough seas, he was able to hold on and even extend his contract until 2024 with the mission of completing the takeover chapter. After the recent setback, however, many owners will ask themselves: How much longer, Mr. Baumann?