Waters names Udit Batra as CEO

Udit Batra will become president and CEO of the instrument maker Waters Corp. on Sept. 1. Batra will succeed Christopher O’Connell, who has been CEO since 2015. Until recently, Batra headed the life sciences business of Merck KGaA, where he led the creation of the MilliporeSigma brand after Merck acquired Sigma-Aldrich. Batra, who has a PhD in chemical engineering from Princeton University, will have to contend with the coronavirus economy. Waters says it expects second-quarter sales of about $520 million, roughly 13% lower than the same period last year.