These appointments are the focus of AgTechNavigator’s August 2025 recurring round-up of personal appointments and people news. Email AgTechNavigator Americas editor Ryan Daily here to submit personnel news for future round-ups.
Groundwork BioAg names CEO, co-founder steps into board chair position
Israel-based Groundwork BioAg appointed its co-founder and CEO Yossi Kofman to the role of chairman of the board, while veteran executive Alon Werber joined as the company’s CEO, according to a press release from Aug. 20.
GroundWork BioAg was founded in 2014 by Kofman, Danny Levy, Dan Grotsky, and Nelson A. Switzer and supports 5.5 million acres with mycorrhizal inoculant ─ a fungus that can improve plant health and improve yields ─ the company shared in a press release. Additionally, the agtech company launched its carbon credit program Rootella Carbon in 2023, which has a waitlist of interested parties, the company added.
“Yossi’s leadership has built Groundwork BioAg into a global force in regenerative agriculture and durable carbon removal. Now, with Alon’s track record of scaling innovative companies, the company is poised to accelerate growth, impact, and returns even faster. Groundwork has the technology, team, and market momentum to deliver exactly what farmers, soils, markets, and consumers need with solutions that boost yields, restore the land, and lock away carbon for good,” Nelson Switzer, managing partner at Climate Innovation Capital and board member for Groundwork BioAg, said in a press release.
Switch Bioworks makes executive, moves headquarters
Switch Bioworks announced a slew of executive appointments and moved into a dedicated corporate headquarters and R&D facility in San Carlos, Calif., per a press release dated Aug. 7.
Co-founder and former CTO for Zero Acre Farms, Steve del Cardayre, joined Switch Bioworks as its new CTO, bringing 25 years of experience in product commercialization. Previously, del Cardayre held senior positions at Codexis, Maxygen, and Renewable Energy Group.
Brett Boghigian was also appointed chief business officer of Switch Bioworks, previously serving as the SVP for food preservation company Mori and held leadership roles at Indigo Ag, assisting the ag company scale and launch over 20 microbial products.
“With Steve and Brett on board, we have the leadership, experience, and spirit to accelerate the development of next-generation fertilizers that society depends on to grow enough food, sustainably and affordably,” Tim Schnabel, founder and CEO of Switch Bioworks, said in a press release.
Ceradis promotes employees to regional roles
Plant nutrition and crop protection company Ceradis made several senior executive appointments, including appointing Lon Kreger to the role of VP of the Americas and Oceania and Robert Nemeth to the role of EMEA VP, according to a press release dated Aug. 5.
Kreger joined Ceradis in 2024 and led the launch of products, like the company’s microbial sulfur fertilizer FytoFert S and biological seed treatment for planter boxes CeraBox. Nemeth held several sales roles at Ceradis since joining the company in 2022.
“Their combined expertise and leadership will be instrumental in driving commercial growth, strengthening relationships with our partners, and delivering long-term value for farmers and the agricultural ecosystem,” Willem-Jan Meulemeesters, CEO of Ceradis, said in a press release.
The best of the rest of August people news
Elsewhere in the ag sector, seed and crop protection giant Corteva appointed Jennifer Johnson to the role of chief legal officer, effective Sept. 15. Johnson previously served as general counsel and corporate secretary for food ingredient and flavor company IFF and associate general counsel for chemical giant DuPont.
Lastly, Idaho-based bio-nutrient company Redox Bio-Nutrients rounded out its Midwest team, bringing Chad R. Scebold on board as Midwest sales manager. John Parrish and Erica Richardson also joined the Midwest team as a sales agronomist and junior sales agronomist, respectively.
