Bayer CEO says Greek euro exit may help: report

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Leaving the euro zone could help Greece to recover economically and prevent the region's debt crisis from spreading, the head of German drugmaker Bayer (BAYGn.DE) was quoted as saying in a newspaper interview on Saturday.

The comments from Bayer CEO Marijn Dekkers add to a growing chorus of influential Germans speculating about the possible exit of Greece from the euro zone, despite Chancellor Angela Merkel's request for compatriots to tone down their rhetoric.

"Greece's exit from the euro may be better for all parties involved," Dekkers said, according to the Rheinische Post.

With its own currency, Greece might stand a better chance of escaping its economic slump, while keeping the euro strong would prevent a domino effect that could hit Spain and Portugal, Dekkers was quoted as saying.

He also said that if the drugs Bayer is developing are as successful as planned the company might become a top ten pharma company worldwide.

As a result, the company had no need to make a large takeover or merge with a competitor, he said.

Dekkers would neither sell nor seek to merge the Bayer Material Science unit with Lanxess (LXSG.DE) or Evonik EVON.UL, he was quoted as saying.

(Reporting by Peter Dinkloh; Editing by Mark Potter)