b"What I have been able to contribute to the company is per-BY LEVERAGINGhaps a more aggressive vision in terms of growth, to expand our sights outside soybean breeding into other crops where I believe BRAZILS INCREDIBLEwe can also compete, including the investment in technology, data science, genomics, digital technologies applied to our processes, and much larger investments in gene editing and GROWTH POTENTIAL,biotechnology than we have been making so far. I would say that those three or four points are my major contributions. NEIGHBORINGSW LATAM: What has been the high point of your career COUNTRIES LIKEso far?Bartolom: Within GDM, I think the acquisition of KWSs corn and sorghum business in South America was a big move. You ARGENTINA, URUGUAY,see, we are buying a company nearly the same size as ours. The creation of Traitology, a company dedicated to gene discovery, PARAGUAY, ANDwas another important peak in my career. In general, I'd say the acquisition processes are the high points because we have BOLIVIA CAN GROW ANDpurchased four or five companies: two in the United States, one in wheat genetics in Brazil, and the KWS operations in South America. These are the milestones of becoming more of a multi-EMERGE GLOBALLY. product and multinational company.SW LATAM: How do you think you might answer this question in 10 years? What achievement is not yet a reality for GDM in the present, but you'd want to tell me about it in 2034?Bartolom: In 10 years, I hope to tell you how we have devel-GDM ADDS KWS ASSETS TO GROWING PORTFOLIOoped technology that adds value to producers. I'm talking about biotechnology, primarily through gene editing, developed by In the 42 years since it was founded in Argentina, GDM has consolidatedGDM and made possible by cutting-edge technologies. I'd love its presence in more than 15 countries. This August, GDM began the formalto share how we've been disruptive and generated high-value integration process of its latest acquisitionKWS corn and sorghum assetsbiotech products for farmers globally.in South Americafollowing approval by Brazils Administrative Council forSW LATAM: What do you see as the greatest Economic Defense (CADE).opportunities for your organization and the Latin Thanks to the KWS acquisition, GDM expects its market share to reach 11% inAmerican region in general?Argentina and 10% in Brazil, helping GDM become one of the main players inBartolom: I believe the most important opportunity lies in new breeding technologies, such as gene editing, epigenet-genetics in South America, GDM communications manager Maria Soledad ics, genomics, mutagenesis, trait breeding, and environomics. Echage says.Nowadays, these advanced methods have leveled the playing The KWS acquisition is just one of GDMs many recent expansions. Others includefield for smaller companies and become accessible to compa-nies like ours. Unlike 20-25 years ago, only large corporations the acquisition of Brazil- and Argentina-based wheat breeding company, Biotrigo,could afford to advance in biotechnology and GMOs.as well as a push into the U.S. marketplace via multiple strategic acquisitionsIn the last three years, we have experienced significant and partnerships. In 2021, GDM acquired Local Seed Company, a key player ingrowth and investments. We acquired Biotrigo in Brazil, becom-the regional corn, soybean and wheat seed market in Tennessee, Kentucky,ing South Americas leading wheat genetics supplier. We are Mississippi, Arkansas, and Alabama. In 2022, GDM took over W.S. Seeds, whichfinalizing the purchase of KWS's South American operations, was rebranded as Mustang Seeds in 2023. Adding Mustang Seeds to its portfoliopositioning us as the region's third or fourth-largest corn pro-ducer. Additionally, we have acquired three American seed gave GDM access to farmers in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Also in 2022, GDMdistribution companies. I see a new growth stage, especially in created Traitology, a gene discovery company in North Carolinas Triangle Park.Chinas soybean market. There is an opportunity to expand our sunflower business in Europe, as well as wheat on a global scale.10/ SEEDWORLD.COMLATAM"