Currently 48-year-old Heidenreich is CEO of Swiss food company Hero AG, and will succeed 58-year-old Quaas who has been CEO at the Germany-based cosmetics giant since 2005.
Heidenreich is no stranger to the personal care field, having also held executive positions at both Procter & Gamble and Reckitt Benckiser.
The appointment will aim to breathe new life into Beiersdorf, which has been particularly hard hit by the economic downturn. The company has been working towards restructuring its operations by focusing on its core capability, in particular the Nivea skin care line.
A more comprehensive article will follow this news in brief tomorrow, assessing in more details what the new appointment will mean to the Beiersdorf business.