Abda bids farewell to CEO

Dr. Sebastian Schmitz, the long-serving CEO of the German Pharmacists’ Association (ABDA), will retire at the end of 2025. His departure marks the close of a 35-year career within the organisation, during which he became one of its most influential figures. The ABDA has announced that lawyer Franziska Erdle will take over as his successor, continuing a tradition of legal leadership.

Schmitz first joined the ABDA in 1990, working across economic and contract law before rising to managing director. In 2011, he was appointed CEO, guiding the association through shifting political and healthcare landscapes. Over his tenure, he collaborated with eleven health ministers and advised five ABDA presidents, shaping policies at the intersection of pharmacy, law, and economics.

His leadership was marked by professionalism and collegiality, though he reportedly grew frustrated with the ABDA’s limited political sway in later years. Despite this, Schmitz helped establish the association as a trusted voice in healthcare, earning praise from ABDA President Thomas Preis for his lasting impact. Schmitz follows in the footsteps of two other legal leaders: Professor Dr. Rainer Braun (34 years) and Dr. Johannes Pieck (25 years). His successor, Franziska Erdle, joined the ABDA in October after serving as CEO of the German Metal Employers’ Association. Claudia Korf will step in as deputy CEO, supporting the transition. Reflecting on his retirement, Schmitz said he would miss the debates that defined his career but looked forward to more time with family and friends. He remains confident that pharmacies will stay vital in meeting future healthcare challenges.

Schmitz’s departure concludes a career spanning nearly half of the ABDA’s 75-year history. Erdle, the incoming CEO, will take charge of an association now recognised as a stable force in German healthcare. The transition ensures continuity in leadership while honouring Schmitz’s decades of service.