The World Food Prize Foundation

2019 Borlaug Dialogue Speakers

Mr. Erik Fyrwald

CEO, Syngenta

Erik Fyrwald joined Syngenta, one of the world’s leading agriculture companies, in June 2016 as president and chief executive officer.

Prior to this, Mr. Fyrwald served as chief executive officer of Univar, a leading distributor of chemicals and related services, from May 2012 until May 2016. In 2008, following a 27-year career at one of the world’s largest chemical companies DuPont, he joined Nalco Company, serving as chairman and chief executive officer until December 2011, when Nalco merged with Ecolab Inc., and Mr. Fyrwald served as president of Ecolab, a global provider of water, hygiene and energy technologies. In previous roles, Mr. Fyrwald served in executive positions with DuPont Company in its agriculture, nutrition and health businesses.

Mr. Fyrwald serves on the boards of directors of Syngenta, Bunge, CropLife International, Eli Lilly, the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce and the UN World Food Program Farm to Market Initiative. He is also Chairman of the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture. Mr. Fyrwald received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Delaware, and completed the advanced management program at Harvard Business School.

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