Crop protection and seed supplier Corteva named the CEOs and executives to its two spin-off companies, as it works to finalize the split later this year, the company shared in three separate announcements on April 14.
Last October, Corteva announced plans to split its crop protection and seed business into New Corteva and SpinCo, respectively, as AgTechNavigator reported. The spinoff is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026, and both executive teams are scheduled to appear at an investor day scheduled for September 15 at the New York Stock Exchange.
Corteva’s board of directors named Luther Kissam to the role of CEO of New Corteva, who previously served as the chairman, president, and CEO at specialty chemical company Albemarle. Kissam will join the company ahead of the split on June 1, serving as the CEO for its crop protection business.
Kissam will be joined by an executive team that includes CFO Jeff Rudolph, CTO Reza Rasoulpour, Chief Commercial Officer Brook Cunningham, Chief Integrated Operations Officer Ralph Ford, and Chief Digital and Information Officer Jim Alcombright. Corteva is seeking a chief legal officer and chief people officer for New Corteva, with internal and external reviews currently underway.
“New Corteva will have every ingredient it needs to continue its upward trajectory: a talented leadership team, knowledgeable, passionate employees, and loyal customers who understand the difference innovation creates – on their fields and for their bottom line. I am excited to take the helm of a company poised for such transformational success,” Kissam said in a press release.
Inside SpinCo’s executive team
On the seed business side, Corteva’s current CEO, Chuck Magro, will assume the role of SpinCo upon the split. SpinCo’s executive team will include CFO David Johnson, CTO Sam Eathington, Chief Commercial and Operations Officer Judd O’Connor, Chief People Officer Audrey Grimm, Chief Digital and Information Officer Brian Lutz, and Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Johnson.
“I have every confidence that this new leadership team comprises a team that will deliver durable growth to drive our new company’s success. And that success will be anchored in innovation that helps farmers grow more food – and fuel – underpinned by sustained investment in advanced technology, expanding our opportunity for impact, potentially even beyond row crops,” Magro said in a press release.
