Syngenta Group has named Hengde Qin as its next chief executive officer, effective Aug. 1, as the global agricultural technology company prepares for a leadership transition during a challenging period for the farm sector.
The company’s board of directors unanimously approved Qin’s appointment following what it described as a comprehensive nomination and succession process. Qin currently serves as chief operating officer and head of seeds and will succeed Jeff Rowe, who will remain in the role until the transition date before returning to the United States.
Qin will be based at Syngenta’s headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, where he has worked since early 2023. He has been part of the company’s executive team since 2020 and has held leadership positions spanning finance, human resources, operations and regional business management.
During his time at Syngenta Group China, Qin oversaw a period of growth and improved profitability that positioned the division as one of the company’s strongest-performing businesses. He has also served as chief financial officer and chief human resources officer and is currently a member of the company’s board.
Before joining Syngenta, Qin held chief executive roles at two publicly traded companies in mainland China and Hong Kong. His academic background includes degrees in economics, industrial engineering and business administration.
The transition comes after Rowe’s nearly decade-long tenure with the company. Since joining Syngenta in 2016, Rowe led a turnaround of the seeds business, helping restore profitability and drive growth. He later moved on to oversee the crop protection division, the company’s largest business segment, before becoming chief executive.
Syngenta said the leadership change is aimed at continuing its focus on innovation, sustainability and farmer productivity as agriculture faces growing pressure to improve yields while reducing environmental impact.
The company remains one of the world’s largest providers of crop protection products and seed technologies, serving farmers across global grain and oilseed markets.
Source: Syngenta Group, "Syngenta Group Appoints Hengde Qin as Chief Executive Officer"