Syngenta Group Appoints Hengde Qin as Chief Executive Officer
01 July 2026, Switzerland: Syngenta Group has announced the appointment of Hengde Qin as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective August 1, 2026, following a comprehensive succession process led by the company’s Board of Directors. Qin, who currently serves as Chief Operating Officer and Head of Seeds, will succeed Jeff Rowe, who will remain CEO until August 1 before returning to the United States after nearly a decade with the company.
The Board unanimously approved Qin’s appointment, citing his extensive operational, financial and commercial leadership experience as the ideal combination to guide Syngenta Group through its next phase of growth and sustainable value creation.
“Hengde is a highly respected leader with a unique blend of operational, financial and commercial expertise,” said Fanrong Li, Chairman of Syngenta Group’s Board of Directors. “We are confident he will lead Syngenta Group to the next level of sustainable development and value creation. We also sincerely thank Jeff for his outstanding leadership during one of the most challenging periods in modern agriculture.”
Based at the company’s global headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, since January 2023, Qin has been a member of Syngenta Group’s executive leadership team since 2020. During his tenure, he has held several key leadership positions, including Chief Financial Officer, Chief Human Resources Officer, President of Syngenta Group China, and most recently Chief Operating Officer and Head of Seeds.
As President of Syngenta Group China, Qin led a period of significant business expansion and profitability growth, transforming the China business into one of the company’s strongest-performing operations. He also serves as a member of the Syngenta Group Board of Directors.
Speaking on his appointment, Qin highlighted agriculture’s growing role in addressing global food security and sustainability challenges.
“Agriculture stands at the center of the world’s most important challenges—from feeding a growing population to improving sustainability and resilience across food systems,” Qin said. “Our mission of helping farmers achieve higher yields with lower environmental impact has never been more important. Together with Syngenta’s talented global team, we will continue driving innovation, creating lasting value for customers, and delivering breakthrough solutions for farmers worldwide.”
Before joining Syngenta Group, Qin served as Chief Executive Officer of two publicly listed companies in mainland China and Hong Kong. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Management from the East China Engineering Institute of Technology, a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and an MBA from the China Europe International Business School.
Outgoing CEO Jeff Rowe expressed confidence in the leadership transition, saying he had worked closely with Qin for many years and witnessed his deep commitment to the business, customers and employees.
“This is a transition from strength to strength,” Rowe said.
Rowe joined Syngenta in 2016 and successfully led the turnaround of the company’s Seeds business, restoring profitability and driving strong growth. He later headed the Crop Protection business, Syngenta’s largest business unit, before being appointed Chief Executive Officer.
Expressing gratitude for the opportunity, Qin said he was honored by the Board’s confidence and looked forward to building on the company’s strong foundation under Rowe’s leadership.
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