New Delhi: Syngenta India has announced Susheel Kumar as the new Managing Director of Syngenta India Pvt Ltd. Kumar takes over the charge from Rafael Del Rio, who served as the Managing Director for the past four years. Rafael has been appointed as the Non-Executive Chairman of Syngenta India Pvt Limited.

Reacting to his appointment, Kumar said: “I am excited to lead the operations at a time when India is on an ambitious plan for accelerated growth. There are enormous opportunities especially when the Government of India has launched very ambitious programs for the welfare of farmers and we see great potential for Syngenta to align with the country’s need for food sustainability, technology and innovation to take Indian Agriculture on to a higher growth trajectory.”

“India has always offered immense possibilities and I will continue to strengthen Syngenta’s rich tradition of partnering with our stakeholders, most importantly farmers, in addressing their needs through innovative products and solutions,” he added.

Rafael Del Rio said: “I have had a significant stint in India and the last four years have been immensely satisfying serving millions of farmers to enhance their productivity and profitability. I am sure Susheel with his rich knowledge and expertise will make the India operations stronger and the farmers will continue to benefit from Syngenta’s unique products and solutions. His leadership and decades of valuable expertise having led cross functional teams across diverse geographies in multiple roles will help in driving India business as well as making available the latest technologies for the benefit of Indian farming communities.”

In a statement, Syngenta India said that Kumar has had a long and distinguished career in India leading the sales of the organization for Central, West and North including Nepal. Having grown up in a farming community, Kumar brings to this role a deep understanding of rural communities along with profound knowledge of the Indian market, insights to farmer behaviour and close customer relationships. He recently completed an international assignment in Basel, Switzerland, where he worked on global strategic as well as projects for Commercial Excellence.

Kumar holds an MBA in Agribusiness Management from Symbiosis Institute of International Business, India and a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Operations and Related Sciences from Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, India. His appointment demonstrates Syngenta’s ongoing commitment to develop local leaders to take on greater responsibilities.

Rafael Del Rio as the Non-Executive Chairman will continue to foster a strong collaborative culture that has underpinned the business growth and development of talent in India. In addition, he will work closely with government and industry associations in fostering the healthy growth of the Indian Agrochemical industry. /BI/