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Jon Erik Fyrwald

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J. Erik Fyrwald (born July 29, 1959) is an American businessman.[1] He is chief executive officer of International Flavors & Fragrances and member of the IFF Board of Directors. He is the former chief executive officer of the Syngenta Group and served as executive director of the board of directors and chairman of the Syngenta Foundation.[2][3] He is a member of the Eli Lilly Board of Directors since 2005.

Jon Erik Fyrwald
J. Erik Fyrwald
Born (1959-07-29) July 29, 1959 (age 65)
West Virginia, U.S.
Alma mater
OccupationManager
EmployerInternational Flavors & Fragrances
Title
Board member of

Early life

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Fyrwald was born in the United States in 1959, where he spent much of his childhood. Fyrwald's parents are originally from Norway, where he also lived.[4] After school, he attended the University of Delaware, where he received a bachelor of science in chemical engineering. He also completed the advanced management program at the Harvard Business School.[5]

Career

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Fyrwald began his professional career at the chemical company DuPont. He held various management positions in production, sales, and marketing, for example. In 2003, he assumed responsibility for the entire agriculture and nutrition division. Alongside, Fyrwald was also appointed to the board of directors of CropLife International.[6] In 2008, Fyrwald was appointed chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors of Nalco, a water treatment provider. Following the acquisition by EcoLab in 2011, he served as president at the parent company. In 2012, Fyrwald became president and chief executive officer of Univar, a distributor of chemistry and related products.[7]

In 2016, Fyrwald was appointed chief executive officer of Syngenta,[8] mainly because of his long experience in the chemical industry.[9][10] A year later, Syngenta was acquired by the state-owned China National Chemical Corporation (ChemChina) and delisted from the stock exchange.[11][12] Fyrwald expressly supported the takeover by ChemChina,[13][14][15] as he considered the acquisition an important step with regards to growth prospects, especially in China.[16][17] To date, the transaction has been the largest acquisition of a Chinese company abroad.[18] In 2020, the Syngenta merged with Sinochem and Adama to create the Syngenta Group.[19]

Syngenta was accused of selling highly toxic pesticides as part of its business.[20] Fyrwald addressed this by aligning the company to digital innovation and new agricultural technologies in the combat against climate change.[21] After President Joe Biden recommitted the United States to the Paris Accord, Fyrwald wrote an op-ed calling for the US to embrace regenerative agriculture.[22]

In 2023, it was announced that Fyrwald would retire at the end of the year as Chief Executive Officer of the Syngenta Group.[23] He was succeeded by Jeff Rowe, who transitioned from his role as President of Syngenta Crop Protection, Syngenta Group’s largest business unit. Fyrwald continues to serve as an advisor to the Chairman of Syngenta Group and remains on the Board of Directors.

In January 2024, IFF appointed Fyrwald as Chief Executive Officer and Board Director.

Memberships

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Fyrwald is a member of the board of directors of Eli Lilly and Company, the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce and Breakthrough,[24] a community service organization in East Garfield Park, Chicago.

Notes and references

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  1. ^ "J. Erik Fyrwald". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Syngenta Adds New Directors to the Board". Seed World. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  3. ^ Pybus, Julie (18 September 2019). "Hidden Power: How Corporate Foundations Can Create Better Capitalism". Pioneers Post. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  4. ^ Aiolfi, Sergio (25 July 2016). "Ein Spätberufener: Erik Fyrwald, neuer Chef von Syngenta, hat lange gebraucht, um den Idealjob zu finden". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). No. 171. p. 17. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  5. ^ Schuppli, Stefan (7 May 2016). "Der neue Syngenta-Chef kommt aus den USA". Aargauer Zeitung (in German).
  6. ^ "Sesselwechsel". Handelszeitung (in German). No. 19. 12 May 2016. p. 16.
  7. ^ "J. Erik Fyrwald to be President and CEO of Univar". CHEManager International. 20 April 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  8. ^ Aiolfi, Sergio (6 May 2016). "Ein Firmenfremder als neuer Syngenta-Chef". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). No. 104. p. 29.
  9. ^ Wadewitz, Sabine (6 May 2016). "Erik Fyrwald wird neuer Chef von Syngenta". Börsen-Zeitung (in German). No. 86. p. 16.
  10. ^ Baas, Michael (6 May 2016). "Chefwechsel bei Syngenta in Basel". Badische Zeitung (in German). p. 19.
  11. ^ Alich, Holger (3 February 2016). "Syngenta lässt sich kaufen – um selbständig zu bleiben. ChemChina bietet 43 Milliarden Dollar". Handelsblatt (in German). Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  12. ^ Hofmann, Siegfried; Fröndhoff, Bert (11 July 2017). "Der China-Faktor: Syngenta attackiert Bayer in Agrochemie". Handelsblatt (in German). Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  13. ^ Müller, Patrik; Schaffner, Andreas (11 May 2017). "Die Chinesen ticken anders". Die Nordwestschweiz (in German).
  14. ^ Feldges, Dominik (24 August 2018). "Chem China drängt uns niemanden auf". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). p. 23.
  15. ^ Brinkmann, Bastian; Busse, Caspar (3 February 2019). "Ich habe viel von den Chinesen gelernt". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  16. ^ Gross, Seraina (11 May 2017). "Ich setze auf Wachstum". Handelszeitung (in German). p. 15.
  17. ^ Bunge, Jacob (28 August 2019). "Syngenta's CEO Navigates the U.S.-China Trade War". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  18. ^ Spegele, Brian; Wu, Kane (5 May 2017). "China Sews up Record $43 Billion Foreign Takeover Deal but Work Remains". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  19. ^ Hofmann, Siegried; Heide, Dana (6 January 2020). "Syngenta: China formt den größten Agrochemie-Konzern der Welt". Handelsblatt (in German). Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Syngentas giftiges Geschäftsmodell" (in German). Public Eye (Erklärung von Bern). Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  21. ^ Sender, Henny (28 July 2019). "Erik Fyrwald: Changing the Image of the Agrochemicals Industry". Financial Times. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  22. ^ Fyrwald, Erik (28 January 2021). "Op-ed: Biden administration should look to regenerative agriculture to help advance climate action". CNBC. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  23. ^ Revill, John; Murray, Miranda (20 October 2023). "Agrichemicals Group Syngenta Names New Chief Executive". Reuters. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  24. ^ "Erik Fyrwald". Breakthrough. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
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