Verdesian Life Sciences names Kenneth Avery as its new chief executive officer, effective today (Sept. 19). Avery succeeds J.J. Grow, who will move into a new role as chairman of the Verdesian board of directors. Avery will report directly to Grow.
“Kenny is a dynamic leader who challenges teams and expectations to help companies grow and succeed in diverse global marketplaces,” Grow says. “He has shown that he can successfully bring people together to enhance operational efficiency, implement new customer-centric approaches and improve pipeline commercialization — all areas of opportunity and growth for Verdesian in the coming years.”
Avery has led transformation in teams across global agricultural organizations, most recently during his nearly 10 years with Monsanto as vice president and head of global vegetables.
“Verdesian is in a unique position to provide crop nutrient, seed treatment and biological solutions as well as value creation to farmers across the globe,” Avery says. “It takes a culture of adaptability, a customer-centric focus on retailer and distribution partners by providing sound agronomic solutions to farmers, and a clearly defined strategy and execution to move the needle during challenging periods of growth in the agriculture industry.”
Grow has served in his capacity as Verdesian CEO for four years, focusing on a period of innovative mergers and acquisitions activity in the plant health and nutrition marketplace.
Avery previously served as vice president of Monsanto’s division for global operations, vegetables and Asia row crops, as well as vice president of the company’s global business operations, where he drove critical business process redesign efforts across all geographies and divisions and throughout many functions. He also lead the Asia Pacific vegetables division at Monsanto, which is based in Singapore, and served as regional business director and later strategic accounts lead for row crops in the United States.
He served as vice president and chief financial officer at Delta & Pine Land Company. He was a partner with Arthur Andersen LLP in Memphis, Tennessee, from 1990 to 2002, where he primarily served public and large private companies in both auditing and consulting roles. Avery also provided consultation for startup entities and private companies, and serviced companies in Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Australia and China.
Avery earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Mississippi State University and is a certified public accountant.
