Kai Beckmann joined the Executive Board of Merck in April 2011. He is responsible for the Electronics business sector, which he has been leading as CEO since September 2017. In addition, he acts as Country Speaker Germany with responsibility for co-determination matters. Prior to his current role, Kai Beckmann held various executive positions within Merck, where he began his career in 1989. Kai Beckmann studied computer science at the Technical University of Darmstadt. In 1998, he earned a doctorate in Economics while working.

In addition, Kai Beckmann has been President of the Federal Employers' Association for the German Chemical Industry (Bundesarbeitgeberverband Chemie, BAVC) from 2017 to 2024. Kai Beckmann is Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Bundesdruckerei GmbH, Vice President of the Confederation of German Employers' Associations (BDA), Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD, and Member of the Senate of acatech - National Academy of Science and Engineering.