Shares of Gerresheimer fell more than 6% in early Tuesday trading after the German maker of medical packaging announced that interim Chief Executive Officer Uwe Röhrhoff had resigned at his own request, effective immediately.
The company said that Röhrhoff left prior to the planned end of his mandate, which had been scheduled for October. Until further notice, Chief Financial Officer Wolf Lehmann will take on Röhrhoff's responsibilities, the firm added.
Röhrhoff had been appointed at the request of the Supervisory Board in November 2025. In its statement, the company said that during his time in office he, together with fellow Management Board members Wolf Lehmann and Achim Schalk - both also newly appointed in 2025 - had stabilized the business and comprehensively addressed a number of key issues.
Among the developments the company highlighted was an agreement signed at the end of July 2026 to sell its U.S. subsidiary Centor together with its global Primary Packaging Plastics business. Gerresheimer said that the transaction would enable a significant streamlining of its capital and financing structure and would substantially cut its leverage.
The immediate leadership change prompted the early-session drop in the company's shares, reflecting investor reaction to the sudden departure of the interim chief executive and the resulting uncertainty about near-term management continuity.
The company did not provide additional details in its announcement about the reasons behind Röhrhoff's decision beyond saying the resignation was at his own request, nor did it set a timetable for appointing a permanent successor. It instead confirmed that Lehmann, the finance chief, will temporarily carry out the CEO duties until the company communicates further arrangements.
Investors and market participants will likely continue to monitor the progress of the planned disposal of Centor and the Primary Packaging Plastics business, and any subsequent updates from Gerresheimer on leadership or on the execution of the sale agreement.