Syngenta announces the appointment of J. Erik Fyrwald, currently president and CEO of the U.S. chemistry distribution company Univar Inc., as chief executive officer effective June 1. Erik succeeds John Ramsay who has been interim CEO since November 2015.
“After a rigorous search, the board concluded that Erik’s leadership and considerable experience in both agriculture and chemicals, along with his strong track record of success as a CEO made him the outstanding candidate for the role,” says Michel Demaré, Syngenta chairman. “Erik has demonstrated throughout his career the ability to work successfully in different environments, designing and leading strategies which resulted in impressive value creation. I look forward to working with him to create the next chapter of Syngenta’s story of success.”
Fyrwald spent 27 years at DuPont where he held positions of increasing responsibility in technology, manufacturing, sales and marketing, strategic planning and regional and global business unit leadership, including four years in Asia. He serves on the boards of Eli Lilly and Company (including their Science and Technology Committee) and the Society of Chemical Industry. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Delaware and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
“I have admired Syngenta from the outside for many years and am delighted, therefore, to have been chosen to lead the company in the next exciting phase of its journey,” Fyrwald says: “I greatly look forward to meeting employees, leaders, customers and other stakeholders after I join in June and to working with them to achieve further success in the years to come.”
