MANNEDORF, SWITZERLAND--(Marketwire - February 13, 2012) - The Tecan Group (SIX: TECN) today announced that the Board of Directors has appointed Dr David Martyr as Chief Executive Officer of the Company. He will join the company as soon as his current contractual obligations permit, but no later than October 8, 2012. As announced on October 7, 2011, the Board of Directors had initiated a succession process for the top management position. Thomas Bachmann, CEO of the Group since the beginning of 2005, will leave Tecan effective immediately. The Board of Directors has appointed Gérard Vaillant as acting Chief Executive Officer until David Martyr joins the company. Gérard Vaillant has been a member of the Tecan Board of Directors since 2004.

David Martyr joins Tecan with an extensive management career in technology businesses, including 13 years of leadership experience in the life sciences sector and analytical instrument industry. Most recently, David Martyr was Group President of Leica Microsystems since 2007 and concurrently Vice President at Danaher Corporation, with responsibility for Danaher's Life Science businesses since 2009. During the period 2007 to 2011 at Leica Microsystems, the company's business grew from around USD 500 million annual sales to over USD 1.2 billion, through driving organic growth, the introduction of reagents and consumables to complement its instruments, significantly expanding sales in China; and through the acquisition and integration of several companies.

"David Martyr has extensive leadership experience in the life sciences industry and a successful track record in improving the performance of his businesses as well as growing new business opportunities," said Rolf Classon, Chairman of Tecan's Board of Directors. "David has extensive knowledge and experience in sales, marketing and business development within the life sciences sector and we are convinced that under his leadership Tecan will continue to generate accelerated profitable growth."

"Tecan is the premier brand in laboratory automation and I am excited to join the Company at a time when automation is gaining widespread adoption in the Life Sciences and Clinical Diagnostics," said David Martyr. "Together with the management team, I look forward to continue to implement Tecan's successful growth strategy in both the Life Sciences Business and the Partnering Business segments and to further build value for our shareholders."

Rolf Classon continued: "During the tenure of Thomas Bachmann, Tecan has improved operational effectiveness, improved earnings per share and built a strong balance sheet. We will continue to build on this solid foundation and will ensure continuity, also under the new leadership. The Board thanks Thomas Bachmann for his important accomplishments and strong commitment and we wish him the very best going forward."

Additional information on David Martyr

David Martyr joined Leica Microsystems in 1998 and was appointed President of Leica Microsystems Group in January 2007 with full responsibility for Leica Microsystems, Leica Biosystems and Invetech.

Leica Microsystems Group, with over 4000 employees in 20 countries, is a leading player in Life Science instrumentation, Microscopy, Cancer Diagnostics (instruments and reagents), Medical Technologies and advanced imaging systems for industrial and forensic applications.

Since January 2009 David Martyr concurrently served as Group Executive and Vice President of Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR), the shareholder of Leica Microsystems Group. In this role he was responsible for overseeing the development of Danaher's Life Science businesses, which today also include mass spectrometry company AB Sciex and Molecular Devices focused on detection instruments.

Prior to being appointed as President, David Martyr held various management and professional positions at Leica Microsystems, including Executive Vice President Worldwide Sales and Marketing and Managing Director, Europe.

Prior to joining Leica Microsystems David Martyr worked for laser technology companies Lumonics Inc. and Ferranti plc in a variety of management and sales- related positions.

David Martyr holds a B.Sc. in Naval Architecture and earned a doctorate in Engineering at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom. He is 54 years old and a British citizen.

A photo of Dr David Martyr can be requested at investor@tecan.com

About Tecan

Tecan (www.tecan.com) is a leading global provider of laboratory instruments and solutions in biopharmaceuticals, forensics and clinical diagnostics. The company specializes in the development, production and distribution of automated workflow solutions for laboratories in the life sciences sector. Its clients include pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, university research departments, forensic and diagnostic laboratories. As an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Tecan is also a leader in developing and manufacturing OEM instruments and components that are then distributed by partner companies. Founded in Switzerland in 1980, the company has manufacturing, research and development sites in both Europe and North America and maintains a sales and service network in 52 countries. In 2010, Tecan generated sales of CHF 371 million (USD 356 million; EUR 269 million). Registered shares of Tecan Group are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (TK: TECN/Reuters: TECZn.S/ ISIN: 1210019).

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Source: Tecan Group AG via Thomson Reuters ONE

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