FRANKFURT, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Germany's Merck KGaA

said on Tuesday its lab equipment division and its

pharmaceuticals division would be under new leadership from June

but it added that its strategy remains unchanged.

Jean-Charles Wirth is to become the CEO of the Life Science

unit, a maker of gear and supplies for biotech labs, succeeding

Matthias Heinzel, who has decided to not renew his contract.

Wirth currently heads the Science & Lab Solutions subunit

within Life Science, the company said in a statement.

Danny Bar-Zohar, currently the head of drug research and

development, will become CEO of the pharmaceuticals division,

succeeding Peter Guenter, who has decided to retire from Merck,

it added.