SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                    ________

                                    FORM 6-K

                        REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
                      PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                          For the month of April, 2004

                                  Serono S.A.
                      -----------------------------------
                              (Registrant's Name)

                            15 bis, Chemin des Mines
                                Case Postale 54
                                CH-1211 Geneva 20
                                  Switzerland
                      -----------------------------------
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                                    1-15096
                      -----------------------------------
                              (Commission File No.)

     (Indicate  by  check  mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.)

     Form  20-F   X    Form  40-F
                -----             -----

     (Indicate  by  check  mark  if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in
paper  as  permitted  by  Regulation  S-T  Rule  101  (b)(1).)
                                                               -----

     (Indicate  by  check  mark  if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in
paper  as  permitted  by  Regulation  S-T  Rule  101  (b)(7).)
                                                               -----

     (Indicate  by  check  mark  whether  the  registrant  by  furnishing  the
information contained in this form is also thereby furnishing the information to
the  Commission  pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.)

     Yes      No X
         ---    ---

     (If  "Yes"  is  marked,  indicate  below  the  file  number assigned to the
registrant  in  connection  with  Rule  12g3-2(b):  82-      )
                                                       ------



                                                                          SERONO




Media  Release



FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE
-----------------------


                       SERONO ANNOUNCES MANAGEMENT CHANGE


GENEVA,  SWITZERLAND,  APRIL  29,  2004  -  Serono  (virt-x:  SEO and NYSE: SRA)
announced today that Mr. Allan Shaw has resigned, for personal reasons, from his
position as Chief Financial Officer and member of the Executive Management Board
at  Serono  International  S.  A.

Effective  today,  Mr.  Jacques  Theurillat will assume, on an interim basis and
until  a successor is identified, the responsibility as Chief Financial Officer,
in addition to his current roles of Deputy Chief Executive Officer and President
of  European and International Sales & Marketing. He was previously Serono's CFO
from  1996  until  2002.



                                       ###

Some  of  the  statements  in  this  press  release  are  forward  looking. Such
statements  are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and
other  factors  that  may  cause  actual results, performance or achievements of
Serono  S.A.  and  affiliates  to be materially different from those expected or
anticipated  in  the  forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are
based on Serono's current expectations and assumptions, which may be affected by
a  number  of  factors, including those discussed in this press release and more
fully  described  in  Serono's  Annual  Report  on Form 20-F filed with the U.S.
Securities  and Exchange Commission on March 25, 2004. These factors include any
failure  or  delay  in  Serono's ability to develop new products, any failure to
receive  anticipated  regulatory  approvals,  any  problems  in  commercializing
current  products  as  a  result of competition or other factors, our ability to
obtain  reimbursement  coverage  for  our  products,  and government regulations
limiting  our  ability  to  sell  our  products. Serono has no responsibility to
update the forward-looking statements contained in this press release to reflect
events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.

                                       ###


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ABOUT  SERONO
Serono  is  a  global  biotechnology  leader.  The Company has seven recombinant
products,  Rebif(R),  Gonal-F(R),  Luveris(R),  Ovidrel(R)/Ovitrelle(R),
Serostim(R), Saizen(R) and Zorbtive(TM) (Luveris(R) is not approved in the USA).
In  addition to being the world leader in reproductive health, Serono has strong
market  positions  in  neurology,  metabolism and growth. The Company's research
programs  are  focused  on  growing  these  businesses  and  on establishing new
therapeutic  areas.  Currently,  there  are approximately 30 ongoing development
projects.

In  2003,  Serono  achieved  worldwide revenues of US$2,018.6 million, and a net
income  of  US$390.0 million, making it the third largest biotech company in the
world. Its products are sold in over 90 countries. Bearer shares of Serono S.A.,
the  holding company, are traded on the virt-x (SEO) and its American Depositary
Shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (SRA).




FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

CORPORATE  MEDIA  RELATIONS:     CORPORATE INVESTOR RELATIONS:
Tel:  +41 22 739 36 00           Tel:  +41 22 739 36 01
Fax:  +41 22 739 30 85           Fax:  +41 22 739 30 22
http://www.serono.com            Reuters:  SEO.VX / SRA.N
---------------------            Bloomberg:  SEO VX / SRA US

MEDIA  RELATIONS,  USA:          INVESTOR  RELATIONS,  USA:
Tel:  +1 781 681 2340            Tel:  +1 781 681 2552
Fax:  +1 781 681 2935            Fax:  +1 781 681 2912
http://www.seronousa.com
------------------------


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                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to  the  requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has  duly  caused  this  report  to  be  signed on its behalf by the
undersigned,  thereunto  duly  authorized.



                                              SERONO  S.A.
                                              a  Swiss  corporation
                                              (Registrant)



April 29, 2004                           By:  /s/  Francois Naef
                                              -----------------------------
                                              Name:  Francois Naef
                                              Title: Secretary