ADM Decatur, Ill., facility. (ADM)
key takeaways:
- ADM appointed Syngenta CEO Jeff Rowe as chief operating officer, effective August 17, reporting to CEO Juan Luciano.
- The appointment expands ADM’s leadership as it pursues biofuels growth and a strong soybean business while recovering from accounting-related investigations.
- Rowe will oversee commercial operations, manufacturing and R&D, while Syngenta has appointed COO Hengde Qin as CEO, effective August 1.
Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. appointed Syngenta Group leader Jeff Rowe as its chief operating officer, as the crop trader strengthens its management team in response to changes in global agricultural markets.
Rowe will oversee ADM’s commercial business, manufacturing and R&D efforts, the company said in a July 20 statement. Rowe comes to ADM from Swiss agri-tech company Syngenta, where he was CEO since January 2024.
ADM is strengthening its management as it expects clearer US biofuels policy to improve the agricultural economy and renewed soybean trade with China, even as conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt access to commodities such as fuel and fertilizer.
The company has gone through a tough time following an investigation into its accounting practices. ADM settled the charges with the U.S. Justice Department earlier this year without admitting or denying wrongdoing.
Rowe will report to CEO Juan Luciano, who has led one of the nation’s largest crop traders for years without a chief operating officer. Luciano also faced pressure amid an accounting investigation, but the board supported him and his contract was renewed.
“This appointment is not a change in ADM’s strategy, but rather a continued commitment to capitalizing on new opportunities,” an ADM spokesperson said in an email. He added that Rowe “leads Syngenta’s efforts to advance sustainable farming and AI-driven, science-based innovation, providing modern, tailored solutions for stakeholders around the world.”
ADM is leaning toward regenerative agriculture, and just last week it announced a partnership with General Mills and Walmart to develop such practices in U.S. wheat fields.
The appointment, effective August 17, brings Rowe back to the United States, where he helps run his family’s farming operation in Illinois.
Shares were down as much as 1.6% on July 20, before erasing most of the losses. ADM stock is up more than 50% over the last year.
For Syngenta, Rowe’s departure comes as it works toward a $5 billion initial public offering in Hong Kong, which has been delayed by a challenging agricultural economy. The Chinese-owned company said in a separate statement that it has appointed Hengde Qin, its current chief operating officer and seeds segment head, to the post of CEO with effect from August 1.
Saswato Das, Syngenta’s chief communications and corporate affairs officer, said the move is “a huge opportunity” and brings Rowe closer to his family and farm in the US. “He leaves a strong team and legacy at Syngenta, and we wish him every success.”
ADM is ranked 80th on Transportation Topics’ Top 100 list of the largest private carriers in North America and 11th on the Agriculture Sector list.
