Global agribusiness, nutrition and ingredient giant ADM named Jeff Rowe, formerly CEO of agriculture company Syngenta Group, to serve in its newly-created role of executive vice president and chief operating officer, the company announced Monday.
The announcement comes less than a month after Syngenta promoted Chief Operating Officer Hengde Qin to serve as its new CEO, effective Aug. 1.
Rowe has served in a variety of leadership roles at Basel, Switzerland-based Syngenta since joining the company in 2016, ADM noted.
The new role, which Rowe will begin on Aug. 17, will “complement ADM’s leadership bench and positions the company to further advance its growth strategy and business priorities,” according to ADM.
Rowe will oversee the company’s commercial business, global manufacturing and research and development efforts, ADM added.
Rowe’s agriculture pedigree
Rowe spent nearly a decade rising up through the ranks of Syngenta, joining as president of the company’s Syngenta Seeds division in 2016 and serving in the role to June 2022.
He was promoted to the position of Syngenta Crop Protection in July 2022 and served in the role until December 2023.
In January 2024, he was named CEO, where he oversaw the agriculture company’s 50,000 employees in more than 90 countries.
He launched his career with DuPont in 1995, where he served in a wide range of leadership roles from 1995 until leaving for Syngenta.
He is a fifth-generation farmer and helps to run his family’s operation in Illinois, according to ADM, which noted that “the farm employs regenerative agriculture practices to reduce environmental impact and improve sustainability, productivity and profitability.”
“Jeff has an outstanding reputation in the industry as a proven leader with a strong track record of advancing innovation and operational excellence,” said Juan Luciano, Chair of the Board and CEO. “I am confident that he will be a wonderful addition to ADM’s global family of leaders. On behalf of all of us at ADM, I am delighted to welcome Jeff to the company and look forward to working alongside him as we capitalize on new opportunities and build on our momentum to drive ADM’s long-term growth agenda.”
Rowe’s experience as a farmer informed his leadership at Syngenta, where he led efforts in sustainable farming and AI-powered innovation, according to ADM.
“I have long admired ADM for its rich history and strong values. I look forward to partnering with the company’s talented team to build on that foundation, advancing ADM’s growth strategy, supporting farmers and creating value for customers and shareholders,” Rowe said.
Leadership reset at Syngenta
The news comes at a time of change at Syngenta, which named Qin its new CEO in early July.
Syngenta said in early July that Rowe would “remain in the role through Aug. 1 before returning to the United States after nearly 10 years with the company.”
“The Board of Directors believes Hengde, a highly respected leader who boasts a unique combination of operational, financial and commercial experience, is the best candidate for the role,” the company said in early July. “We are confident that Hengde will take Syngenta Group to the next level of its sustainable development and value creation. We want to sincerely thank Jeff for his contribution and service as he led the Company through focused execution during one of the most challenging periods in modern agriculture.”
Syngenta did not directly connect its leadership change to the company’s efforts to go public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, but it did note that Qin has held CEO positions at two publicly listed companies in mainland China and Hong Kong.
