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At today’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, the shareholders of Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA approved the proposals of the General Partner and the Supervisory Board with a large majority.
The actions of the General Partner and the Supervisory Board in 2024 were approved by 99.66 percent and 97.36 percent respectively. 99.98 percent voted in favor of approving the annual financial statements. 95.83 percent of the shareholders approved the compensation report for the 2024 financial year and 99.37 percent approved the dividend proposal of 1.00 euro per share. The resolutions on the remuneration for the members of the Supervisory Board and extending the authorization to hold virtual annual general meetings were also adopted with large majorities. 77.93 percent of the share capital was represented at the AGM.
Following the AGM, the newly appointed Supervisory Board of Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA re-elected Wolfgang Kirsch as its chair during its constituent meeting. Michael Diekmann and Grit Genster were also confirmed as deputy chairs and Susanne Zeidler was confirmed as chair of the Audit Committee. The shareholders previously re-elected Prof. Dr. Iris Löw-Friedrich and Dr. Christoph Zindel to the Supervisory Board in addition to Kirsch, Diekmann, and Zeidler. After 14 years in office, Prof. Dr. med. D. Michael Albrecht stepped down from the Supervisory Board. The AGM elected Prof. Dr. Ralf Kiesslich, Chairman of the Board of the University Medical Centre in Mainz, as his successor. The six employee representatives had already been elected beforehand. All Supervisory Board members were appointed for the period until the end of the 2029 AGM.
The new Supervisory Board of Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA comprises the following members:
Wolfgang Kirsch (Chairman)
Michael Diekmann (Deputy Chair)
Grit Genster (Deputy Chair)
Bernd Behlert
Tania Lara Campaña
Carsten Georg
Prof. Dr. Ralf Kiesslich
Prof. Dr. Iris Löw-Friedrich
Holger Michel
Oscar Romero de Paco
Susanne Zeidler
Dr. Christoph Zindel
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About Fresenius
Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA (Frankfurt/Xetra: FRE) is a global healthcare company headquartered in Bad Homburg v. d. Höhe, Germany. In the 2024 fiscal year, Fresenius generated €21.5 billion in annual revenue. Fresenius currently counts over 176,000 employees. The Fresenius Group comprises the operating companies Fresenius Kabi and Fresenius Helios as well as an investment in Fresenius Medical Care. With around 140 hospitals and countless outpatient facilities, Fresenius Helios is the leading private hospital operator in Germany and Spain, treating around 26 million patients every year. Fresenius Kabi’s product portfolio touches the lives of 450 million patients annually and includes a range of highly complex biopharmaceuticals, clinical nutrition, medical technology, and intravenous generic drugs and fluids. Fresenius was established in 1912 by the Frankfurt pharmacist Dr. Eduard Fresenius. After his death, Else Kröner took over management of the company in 1952. She laid the foundations for a global enterprise that today pursues the goal of improving people’s health. The largest shareholder is the non-profit Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing medical research and supporting humanitarian projects.
For more information visit the Company’s website at www.fresenius.com
Follow us on social media: www.fresenius.com/socialmedia
This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Future results could differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements due to certain factors, e.g. changes in business, economic and competitive conditions, regulatory reforms, results of clinical trials, foreign exchange rate fluctuations, uncertainties in litigation or investigative proceedings, the availability of financing and unforeseen impacts of international conflicts. Fresenius does not undertake any responsibility to update the forward-looking statements in this release.
Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA
Registered Office: Bad Homburg, Germany / Commercial Register: Amtsgericht Bad Homburg, HRB 11852
Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Wolfgang Kirsch
General Partner: Fresenius Management SE
Registered Office: Bad Homburg, Germany / Commercial Register: Amtsgericht Bad Homburg, HRB 11673
Management Board: Michael Sen (Chairman), Pierluigi Antonelli, Sara Hennicken, Robert Möller, Dr. Michael Moser
Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Wolfgang Kirsch
Thanks to the successful ongoing implementation of its #FutureFresenius strategy, Fresenius considers itself well-positioned to continue to deliver profitable growth and create long-term value. “With #FutureFresenius, the company has a coherent strategy that it will continue to implement consistently and successfully in the interests of all stakeholders. The Supervisory Board firmly believes that Fresenius fulfils all the requirements needed to achieve its ambitious goals. We support the course that the Management Board is pursuing. On behalf of the Supervisory Board, I thank the Management Board and all employees for their outstanding work,” said Wolfgang Kirsch, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, at this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Frankfurt am Main today.
“The successful implementation of #FutureFresenius means Fresenius is now simpler, more focused, stronger, and more resilient. We are now in a better position to anticipate change more quickly and, if necessary, respond more effectively,” said Michael Sen, CEO of Fresenius. “Fresenius is essential to healthcare systems around the world – through our hospitals and our products, without which patient care would not be possible.” Furthermore, the company’s “Local for Local” strategy, focused on local value creation, manufacturing, and jobs, also strengthens its resilience.
Fresenius began the year from a position of strength and launched the next phase of its #FutureFresenius strategy, Rejuvenate. Reducing the shares in Fresenius Medical Care in March this year was the first milestone. Fresenius used the proceeds to strengthen its balance sheet and further fuel innovation. Rejuvenate is about advancing and strengthening its core businesses. In addition, the company will scale up its three platforms – (Bio)Pharma, MedTech, and Care Provision – to unlock new long-term growth opportunities and achieve higher earnings.
In the 2024 financial year, Fresenius once again increased the pace of growth in revenue and earnings. “Last year, we not only kept our promises but even exceeded our expectations and raised our guidance twice,” said Sen. The company achieved this through its efforts, to which all operating businesses contributed. Productivity also increased, and the self-imposed target corridor for the leverage ratio was achieved for the first time in seven years. By 2024, Fresenius had reduced its net debt by 2 billion euros and achieved an operating cash flow of 2.4 billion euros. A dividend of 1.00 euro per share was proposed for the past financial year during the Annual General Meeting.
Fresenius also considers itself on track for 2025. “Our mission to save and improve human lives continues to drive us forward in the new financial year. With the next phase of #FutureFresenius, we want to continue our success story in 2025,” said Sen, referring to the strong start to the year. In early May, Fresenius confirmed its guidance for the full year 2025 following excellent growth in revenue and earnings during the first quarter.
The AGM will be held in person, with several hundred shareholders attending this year’s event at Messe Frankfurt.
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The letter by Wolfgang Kirsch, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Fresenius, and the speech by Michael Sen, Chief Executive Officer of Fresenius, can be downloaded here: Annual General Meeting | FSE
About Fresenius
Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA (Frankfurt/Xetra: FRE) is a global healthcare company headquartered n Bad Homburg v. d. Höhe, Germany. In the 2024 fiscal year, Fresenius generated €21.5 billion in annual revenue. Fresenius currently counts over 176,000 employees. The Fresenius Group comprises the operating companies Fresenius Kabi and Fresenius Helios as well as an investment in Fresenius Medical Care. With around 140 hospitals and countless outpatient facilities, Fresenius Helios is the leading private hospital operator in Germany and Spain, treating around 26 million patients every year. Fresenius Kabi’s product portfolio touches the lives of 450 million patients annually and includes a range of highly complex biopharmaceuticals, clinical nutrition, medical technology, and intravenous generic drugs and fluids. Fresenius was established in 1912 by the Frankfurt pharmacist Dr. Eduard Fresenius. After his death, Else Kröner took over management of the company in 1952. She laid the foundations for a global enterprise that today pursues the goal of improving people’s health. The largest shareholder is the non-profit Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing medical research and supporting humanitarian projects.
For more information visit the Company’s website at www.fresenius.com
Follow us on social media: www.fresenius.com/socialmedia
This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Future results could differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements due to certain factors, e.g. changes in business, economic and competitive conditions, regulatory reforms, results of clinical trials, foreign exchange rate fluctuations, uncertainties in litigation or investigative proceedings, the availability of financing and unforeseen impacts of international conflicts. Fresenius does not undertake any responsibility to update the forward-looking statements in this release.
Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA
Registered Office: Bad Homburg, Germany / Commercial Register: Amtsgericht Bad Homburg, HRB 11852
Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Wolfgang Kirsch
General Partner: Fresenius Management SE
Registered Office: Bad Homburg, Germany / Commercial Register: Amtsgericht Bad Homburg, HRB 11673 Management Board: Michael Sen (Chairman), Pierluigi Antonelli, Sara Hennicken, Robert Möller, Dr. Michael Moser
Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Wolfgang Kirsch
Fresenius today announced that its operating company, Fresenius Kabi, is now offering Epinephrine Injection, USP, in 30 mg per 30 mL multi-dose vials in the United States. Following the introduction of the first generic version of Epinephrine, USP, in a 1 mg per mL vial for U.S. customers in December 2024, the product launch expands Fresenius’ offerings of Epinephrine Injection.
Epinephrine Injection 30 mg per 30 mL is a prescription medicine used for emergency treatment of allergic reactions (Type 1), including anaphylaxis, in adults and pediatric patients and to increase mean arterial blood pressure in adult patients with hypotension associated with septic shock.
In line with #FutureFresenius, Fresenius Kabi has invested more than $1 billion to expand and modernize advanced U.S. pharmaceutical production and distribution facilities. Epinephrine Injection is manufactured in the U.S., reflecting the company’s commitment to domestic production. More than 70% of the pharmaceuticals that Fresenius Kabi sells to U.S. customers are formulated, filled and packaged in the U.S.
Fresenius today announced that its operating company, Fresenius Kabi, is now offering Epinephrine Injection, USP, in 30 mg per 30 mL multi-dose vials in the United States. Following the introduction of the first generic version of Epinephrine, USP, in a 1 mg per mL vial for U.S. customers in December 2024, the product launch expands Fresenius’ offerings of Epinephrine Injection.
Epinephrine Injection 30 mg per 30 mL is a prescription medicine used for emergency treatment of allergic reactions (Type 1), including anaphylaxis, in adults and pediatric patients and to increase mean arterial blood pressure in adult patients with hypotension associated with septic shock.
In line with #FutureFresenius, Fresenius Kabi has invested more than $1 billion to expand and modernize advanced U.S. pharmaceutical production and distribution facilities. Epinephrine Injection is manufactured in the U.S., reflecting the company’s commitment to domestic production. More than 70% of the pharmaceuticals that Fresenius Kabi sells to U.S. customers are formulated, filled and packaged in the U.S.
The Fresenius healthcare group and the Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation are today paying tribute to the impressive legacy of Else Kröner, née Fernau (1925–1988), with a commemorative event. Around 170 guests representing science, politics, business, and society have been invited to the Städel Museum in Frankfurt. Among them are Nobel Prize winner for Medicine, Prof. Dr. Craig Mello; the Hessian Minister for Science and Research, Art and Culture, Timon Gremmels; the Lord Mayor of Bad Homburg v. d. Höhe, Alexander Hetjes; and the Chairman of Fresenius Supervisory Board, Wolfgang Kirsch.
Else Kröner was born in Frankfurt am Main exactly 100 years ago, on May 15, 1925. As long-time Managing Director and later Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board, she laid the foundations for Fresenius’ success as a leading global healthcare group. The Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation (EKFS), which she established in 1983, is today Germany’s largest foundation dedicated to the advancement of medicine.
“Else Kröner was one of Germany’s most successful female entrepreneurs. She shaped the global healthcare company that Fresenius is today and in doing so, she wrote business history. On the occasion of her 100th birthday, we would like to pay tribute to her remarkable legacy. Throughout her life, Else Kröner demonstrated great foresight and entrepreneurial courage. These qualities are today needed more than ever to secure Germany’s growth and prosperity as a business location. My 176,000 colleagues at Fresenius and I have taken over the task of building on the legacy she left behind. With #FutureFresenius, we are doing precisely this so that we can continue to fulfil our mission: To save and improve human lives. We are Committed to Life,” says Fresenius CEO Michael Sen.
“Else Kröner was both an outstanding entrepreneur and a passionate advocate of medical research and education. Her unwavering commitment and vision have made the Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation what it is today – a driving force in the advancement of science and health. Since its founding, the Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation has contributed more than 700 million euros to around 2,800 medical, scientific, and humanitarian projects. Her extraordinary lifework is a lasting source of inspiration for us all,” says Dr. Dieter Schenk, Chairman of the Board of the Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation.
From pharmacy to global enterprise that sets industry standards
When Else Kröner, the foster daughter of company founder Dr. Eduard Fresenius, officially took over management of the Hirsch Pharmacy in Frankfurt and “Dr. Eduard Fresenius chemisch-pharmazeutische Industrie KG” in 1952, the family business only had around 40 employees. The qualified pharmacist used her entrepreneurial vision to transform the company into a global healthcare group. She did this by expanding the product range, developing dialysis machines in- house, accessing international markets, and making targeted company acquisitions.Under her leadership, and that of her husband Dr. Hans Kröner, Fresenius researchers developed important medical innovations for the European market. These include infusion solutions in plastic bottles, which are still the industry standard today, and the first liquid food for diabetics.
Else Kröner’s legacy
Else Kröner’s achievements and commitment still shape Fresenius today. The company stands for access to affordable and innovative medical products and clinical care of the highest quality. Every year, Fresenius treats around 26 million patients and improves the lives of around 450 million people worldwide. With the current Rejuvenate phase of its #FutureFresenius program, the company is consistently focusing on the healthcare of tomorrow. Else Kröner’s values are reflected in the Fresenius Principles and are lived every day by employees in more than 80 countries.
Else Kröner Fresenius Prize for Medical Research
The Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation will confer the Else Kröner Fresenius Prize for Medical Research during today’s ceremony. Endowed with 2.5 million euros, it will go to US researcher Prof. Dr. Anastasia Khvorova for her pioneering work in the field of RNA-based therapies. The foundation will also present a new biographical film about the life and work of Else Kröner.
For more information on Else Kröner, see www.fresenius.com/100YearsOfElseKroener
Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA (Frankfurt/Xetra: FRE) is a global healthcare company headquartered in Bad Homburg v. d. Höhe, Germany. In the 2024 fiscal year, Fresenius generated €21.5 billion in annual revenue. Fresenius currently counts over 176,000 employees. The Fresenius Group comprises the operating companies Fresenius Kabi and Fresenius Helios as well as an investment in Fresenius Medical Care. With around 140 hospitals and countless outpatient facilities, Fresenius Helios is the leading private hospital operator in Germany and Spain, treating around 26 million patients every year. Fresenius Kabi’s product portfolio touches the lives of 450 million patients annually and includes a range of highly complex biopharmaceuticals, clinical nutrition, medical technology, and intravenous generic drugs and fluids. Fresenius was established in 1912 by the Frankfurt pharmacist Dr. Eduard Fresenius. After his death, Else Kröner took over management of the company in 1952. She laid the foundations for a global enterprise that today pursues the goal of improving people’s health. The largest shareholder is the non-profit Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing medical research and supporting humanitarian projects.
For more information visit the Company’s website at www.fresenius.com.
Visit our media center: www.fresenius.com/media-center
But what experiences influenced Else Kröner and what private and professional decisions made her who she was? Her biography provides some insights:
When the company founder Dr. Eduard Fresenius passes away in 1946, his company “Dr. Eduard Fresenius chemisch-pharmazeutische Industrie KG” is scarred by the war. It brings in just enough to cover the outstanding debts and there are only a few staff left. The Hirsch Pharmacy out of which the company is born is destroyed in early 1944 during a bombing raid. Else Fernau, the foster daughter and heiress of Dr. Eduard Fresenius, writes of this in a letter to a friend: “Nothing more than a forlorn pile of rubble remains. I struggle to even make out what it used to be.”
Else Fernau is just 20 years old when Dr. Eduard Fresenius passes away. She knows how challenging rebuilding the company will be. She manages it, though – and even far more: She creates a successful, globally active healthcare enterprise.
Else Fernau is born in Frankfurt in 1925. Medicine plays a role in her life earlier than it should: Her father passes away when she is just four years old during an appendectomy, which is actually already a routine procedure back in those days. The cause is undiagnosed diabetes. Both professionally and privately, Else Fernau (later Else Kröner) remains committed to advancing medicine and ensuring broad access to therapies. Together with her husband, Dr. Hans Kröner, she supports medical and humanitarian projects in Germany and worldwide. In 1972, she establishes a foundation for the advancement of medical research and education, which among others publishes specialist magazines.
Else Fernau’s mother is already the housekeeper in the Fresenius household before Else’s father passes away. The two families subsequently grow even closer.
Else Fernau officially takes over management of the company in Bad Homburg in 1952. She had previously completed an internship at the Hirsch Pharmacy – a prerequisite for her pharmacy degree. Consolidating the company without laying off employees proves particularly challenging. Every day, she works more than twelve hours, helping out wherever she is most needed. Her employees appreciate her and feel reassured: “Els’chen is here, we’re up and running.” And after a while, the company really does get “running” again. During her first years as an entrepreneur, Else Fernau systematically gains business skills to complement her pharmaceutical expertise.
Else Fernau marries Dr. Hans Gottfried Noël Kröner in 1964, after which she goes by the name of Else Kröner. Though the pair already met in the early 1950s, Else Fernau initially only occasionally seeks legal advice from him. Over time, she begins to also ask him for his opinion on business matters. Dr. Hans Kröner officially joins the company in 1957. The company, which is still small at the time, grows rapidly in the 1960s. The number of employees rises sharply from around 40 to 400, and turnover increases thirteen-fold. Under the Kröner couple’s leadership, Fresenius develops numerous pioneering medical innovations such as infusion solutions in plastic bottles, which are still considered the industry standard today, and the first liquid nutrition for diabetics.
In 1982, Else Kröner converts the company into a public limited company and becomes Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board. Her husband Dr. Hans Kröner acts as Chairman of the Management Board. It soon becomes clear that the conversion, the associated increase in capital, and the subsequent structural changes were the right strategic decision: Fresenius’ revenue increases from 290 million euros in 1982 to 465 million euros in 1986.
Throughout her lifetime, Else Kröner remains immensely grateful to the Fresenius family for their support and the opportunity to continue the business of Dr. Fresenius. This sense of gratitude is her driving force and motivation to further advance the Fresenius legacy. In doing so, she always remains true to herself: Despite all her successes, she lives modestly and, even as Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of the Fresenius Group, rarely seeks the spotlight, preferring instead to engage directly with the workforce. Hence she remains little known to the wider public to this day.
In 1983, Else Kröner founds the Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation (EKFS), dedicated to advancing medical research and supporting humanitarian projects. When she dies unexpectedly on June 5, 1988, her entire estate passes to the foundation – as per her testament. Today, it is one of the largest foundations in Germany championing the field of medicine. Else Kröner’s legacy and values thus live on to this day.
Since its founding, the Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation has contributed more than 700 million euros to around 2,800 medical, scientific, and humanitarian projects. They are almost exclusively funded from the income gained from the foundation’s shares in Fresenius of which it is the majority shareholder, holding more than 26 percent of the shares.
Fresenius currently employs around 176,000 people and generates annual revenue exceeding 21 billion euros.
Else Kröner’s values continue to shape the corporate culture at Fresenius to this day and are lived in the company daily through the Fresenius Principles. This is not least reflected in the internal Else Kröner Award, which Fresenius presented for the first time in 2025.
The Else Kröner Award recognizes outstanding, innovative, and exceptional initiatives of Fresenius teams that put the Fresenius Principles into practice and thus uphold Else Kröner’s legacy.
Ilona Schmidt, who began her training as an industrial clerk at Fresenius in 1981, knew Else Kröner. “I found her to be a very empathetic, approachable, and socially minded person. She was always very down to earth.”
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In the cafeteria, Else Kröner always joined the back of the line, recalls Schmidt, who is now a quality manager at Fresenius Kabi. “And when someone recognized her and wanted to let her go first, she’d refuse and insist on waiting.
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Instead of a new car, Else Kröner preferred to drive an old diesel. “It was maize yellow and her husband had the same one in moss green – supposedly the sales department had been getting rid of them.”
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“And when it was Else Kröner’s birthday, she invited all of the employees. We should all come up and were served coffee and cake.”
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The only discernible luxury that Else Kröner allowed herself was one long string of pearls,” Ilona Schmidt recalls with a smile. “They were essentially her trademark and something I always associated with her.”
Christian Fischer, who knew Else Kröner, joined Fresenius in the mid-1980s as assistant to the Management Board. “She served the company in everything she did and always put herself second – she invariably knew what the real goal was.”
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“The product range developed under her leadership – infusion solutions and dietetic products in pharma, machines, dialyzers, and dialysis solutions in MedTech – was instrumental in Fresenius’ growth,” the long-standing Head of Controlling tells.
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Fischer finds Else Kröner’s balanced, approachable nature remarkable. “She knew every employee in person, took an interest in their concerns, and was always attentive and appreciative of them.”
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“Of course, the company rules had not been set in writing back then,” says Fischer. “But I see precisely the devotion to people that Else Kröner actively lived in the Fresenius Principles today.”
Quarterly Financial Report Q1 2025 (IFRS)
