Syngenta has appointed Hengde Qin as its new CEO, effective August 1, the Swiss-based group said on Wednesday, handing leadership of one of the world’s largest agricultural technology companies to an internal successor.
Qin in 2004 joined Syngenta’s owner, China’s state-owned Sinochem, and became President of Syngenta Group China in 2020.
He moved to Switzerland in 2023, where he was appointed Syngenta CFO before becoming the group’s chief operating officer in March 2026.
Qin is succeeding Jeff Rowe, who is due to return to the United States after nearly 10 years with the company, Syngenta said.
“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,” Chairman Fanrong Li said.
“We are confident that Hengde will take Syngenta Group to the next level of its sustainable development and value creation.”
Syngenta is targeting a Hong Kong listing that could raise as much as $10 billion this year, Reuters reported in February.
The plan could still go through around year-end, and having a CEO with a background in the region could help, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Syngenta, when asked for comment on its IPO plans, said the company will look to restart a listing process when the conditions are right and that at this point in time, no final decision has been taken.
“Syngenta Group has always said that an IPO remains a strategic option to support its growth plans as a leading global agricultural technology innovation company.”
(Reporting by Oliver Hirt, writing by Ariane Luthi, editing by Thomas Seythal and Louise Heavens)
