Guru Ramamurthy
CFO
Bayer Crop Science
Month 2025
With recent experience as Bayer’s North America CFO and transitioning into the role as the global CFO of Bayer Crop Science, Guru Ramamurthy is at the forefront of transformation within one of the world’s leading life sciences companies. With more than two decades at Bayer, spanning continents and diverse business units, Guru has earned recognition not only for his strategic acumen and ability to deliver results – including the recent distinction for his team as a finalist for Gartner’s Finance Transformation Awards – but also for his people-centric leadership style and commitment to digital innovation.
In my CFO roles, I don't see myself as just the financial steward or business partner. I see myself as a strategic transformation leader.”
In this exclusive profile, Guru reflects on the defining moments that have shaped his career, the leadership philosophies that guide his decisions, and his vision for the evolving role of the CFO in today’s dynamic business landscape. He also shares invaluable insights for finance leaders seeking to navigate complexity, drive meaningful change, and unlock value for their organizations.
Defining moments on the path to CFO
For Guru, the journey to his newly appointed role as the CFO for Bayer’s Crop Science Division has been defined by transformative decisions, global experiences, and an unwavering commitment to continuous learning. His career at Bayer began with a bold leap: leaving a secure position and family in India to embrace a new role in a new company in a foreign country. “It was the first major moment in my life where I decided to step out of my comfort zone,” Guru recalls. This willingness to take risks and embrace the unknown set the tone for the decades that followed.
Throughout his tenure at Bayer, Guru has prioritized openness to opportunity and fostering a genuine curiosity for different ways of working. His career has taken him across Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States, with each experience contributing to what he describes as a truly global mindset and a deep understanding of how large enterprises operate – particularly across supply chain, commercial, research and development (R&D), and finance functions.
I have remained very true to one core tenet of mine, which is being intellectually curious.”
A pivotal milestone in Guru’s career came when he was appointed Head of Performance Management for Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division. In this role, he led the development of the company’s global planning process, provided strategic insights to executive leadership at the board level, and built a high-performing team during a challenging post-acquisition integration. “It was my first opportunity to lead at scale,” he reflects, “and it taught me the importance of trust, empowerment, leadership and relying on others to get things done effectively.”
Guru's executive journey progressed with two particularly significant experiences: leading a major divestment as CFO of Bayer’s medical care business and driving the turnaround of the North American consumer health division following another substantial acquisition. Both roles required not only deep business acumen and a focus on performance but also the ability to unite teams around shared goals and deliver results amid uncertainty.
As the CFO of AskBio, one of Bayer’s leading biotech subsidiaries, Guru stepped into a more entrepreneurial environment. “This role challenged me to move beyond a traditional corporate structure and adopt a startup mindset,” he shares. This experience included embracing the fast pace and dynamic nature of the organization, which allowed him to accelerate innovation and agility even as he built foundational capabilities and processes and helped scale the organization.
Looking back, Guru credits each of these milestones with shaping his leadership approach and global, enterprise-wide perspective. Above all, he acknowledges the critical role his family has played in supporting his journey, underscoring that none of his achievements would have been possible without their encouragement and sacrifices.
A leadership philosophy rooted in empowerment and authenticity
Guru describes his leadership style as the result of years of self-reflection and global experience. “My leadership style today is not what it was 10 or 15 years ago,” he notes. “I've done a lot of work on myself in terms of understanding the kind of a person I am, the values that are dear to me, how I come across to others, and how I can be a more effective partner.”
Guru is a strong believer in fostering an environment focused on empowerment, collaboration, and continuous growth. “When I stay true to those principles, it creates the conditions for success not just in the business, but for the people I work with,” he explains.
We are here to achieve results and deliver sustainable growth and profitability in the way we work. But I think the beauty is in how you orchestrate this, and I absolutely enjoy doing that.”
Guru emphasizes authenticity, transparency, and open communication, and he strives to create a culture where difficult conversations are welcomed, and diverse perspectives are valued. Guru advocates for a “one team” approach, believing that true alignment comes not just from shared goals, but from a willingness to listen, adapt, and co-create solutions with colleagues at every level of the organization.
As Bayer undergoes a comprehensive transformation of its operating model, Guru highlights the pivotal role of leadership in this evolution. At Bayer, this approach is described as VACC leadership – Visionary, Architect, Catalyst and Coach. This model, he says, encapsulates situational leadership and the need for leaders to adapt their style to the needs of their teams and the challenges they face. It shifts a leader’s role and creates a culture of empowerment where resources can easily flow to priorities and decision making is faster. Guru reflects, “Leadership is a continuous learning journey, and I strive to get better at it – and this framework – every day.”
Guiding principles for transitioning to a new CFO role
As Guru prepares to step into his new role as CFO for Bayer’s Crop Science Division, he draws on a set of guiding principles that have informed his approach to leadership transitions throughout his career.
At the heart of his transition strategy is a strong emphasis on building relationships and understanding the organization’s culture. Guru prioritizes connecting with teams and key stakeholders, listening actively, and asking thoughtful questions to gain valuable insights into how people work, the challenges they face, and their aspirations. “That gives me a better sense of assessing at a holistic level the culture, strengths, and opportunities that the organization has,” he notes.
Guru also places great importance on developing a deep understanding of how the business operates – gaining cross-functional perspectives, learning about innovation cycles, the operating environment, historical performance, and future strategies, as well as identifying key value drivers.
Flexibility is another cornerstone of Guru’s philosophy. While he brings a broad playbook to each new role, he is careful to tailor his priorities and approach the specific needs of the business. He stresses, “Every leadership transition is a function of circumstances, and no business context is ever exactly the same.” In addition, he emphasizes the importance of respecting and building on what is already working well, combining proven practices with new ideas to accelerate performance in the marketplace.
A people-first approach to finance transformation
Amid ongoing geopolitical challenges and rapid technological advancement, Guru believes the role of the CFO has evolved far beyond traditional financial stewardship. Today, he sees finance as a driver of agility, responsiveness, and innovation across the entire enterprise. “Finance should not be seen as an anchor, but as a growth accelerator,” Guru asserts. “By leveraging data, technology, and talent, we can unlock new value and empower the organization to move faster and smarter.”
Under Guru’s leadership, Bayer’s North America finance organization has embraced digital transformation as a cultural shift that empowers individuals passionate about technology to lead change from within. “We created a network of digital enthusiasts, our ‘citizens of change,’ who come together to drive adoption and innovation,” he explains. “You can build a great PowerPoint slide, you can bring in a consultant, but what you get from organizing something bottom-up, that is homegrown and citizen-led, is beyond comparability.”
Because of the way technology is evolving, digital transformation is as much about people as it is about the technology itself.”
This self-driven, grassroots approach has delivered meaningful change for the entire finance community at Bayer, fostering widespread belief in the power of digital transformation. The success of this initiative has not only transformed the organization but also earned recognition as a finalist for Gartner’s Finance Transformation Awards.
Advice for fellow CFOs
As an accomplished CFO, Guru offers practical advice for fellow finance leaders seeking success in today's complex business landscape:
- Clarify your purpose: Reflect on your personal purpose and how it connects to your role as CFO. A clear understanding of what drives you fosters more authentic and effective leadership.
- Acknowledge uncertainty and foster resilience: Recognize that managing constant change is challenging. Support your teams in embracing change, learning from failure, and staying focused on long-term goals despite short-term volatility.
- Be flexible and build adaptive systems and processes: “What worked well in one set of circumstances may not be appropriate in another,” Guru explains. He advocates for adaptive planning and forecasting processes that can respond swiftly to external shifts and encourages leaders to listen to their teams and rethink outdated systems.
- Harness existing knowledge, but remember the importance of upskilling and continuous learning: CFOs should focus on breaking down silos and promoting cross-functional collaboration to surface new ideas, identify risks, and respond more quickly to change. Equally important is ensuring teams are always learning, developing new skills and staying ready for emerging challenges. “You have to invest some time on that, particularly as digital transformation accelerates.”
I believe that CFOs have a distinct vantage point of looking at enterprise topics from end to end. We have a unique opportunity to help foster this type of environment.”
Key advice for new CFOs
CFOs stepping into new roles face unique challenges. Guru offers this additional guidance:
- Stay curious and open to learning: Every experience and interaction is an opportunity to gain insights and build strong relationships.
- Step outside your comfort zone: “The strongest growth I have experienced is when I have had to deal with really difficult situations.” Be prepared to embrace new challenges and see these as opportunities to make an impact.
- Align financial strategies with overall business goals: Focus on aligning financial strategies with broader business objectives and a strong customer orientation. “If you have a very traditional finance mindset, that type of an approach doesn't serve us very well. Because when you speak to the CEO or to the executive team, they are asking a lot more out of the CFO these days than historically at any point in time.”
Guru Ramamurthy is the CFO for Bayer’s Crop Science Division. He is also a valued Co-Chair of the New York CFO Community.
To connect with CFO peers, like Guru, about your mission critical priorities, join your local Gartner CFO Community. If you are already a member, sign in to the Gartner C-level Communities app to register for upcoming community gatherings.
Special thanks to Guru Ramamurthy and Bayer US.
By CFOs, For CFOs™
Join the conversation with peers in your local CFO community.
