USA — RiceTec Inc has named Karsten Neuffer the new global chief executive effective, succeeding Mike Gumina, who is retiring after eight years as CEO of the rice seed technology company.
Constantin Liechtenstein, chairman of the RiceTec board expressed his excitement at Neuffer’s onboarding to the company.
“His strong seed background and his leadership skills make him the right successor to Mike Gumina, whom I want to thank for his outstanding contribution and dedicated service for the past eight years,” he said.
An experienced agricultural business leader, Neuffer comes to RiceTec with broad experience in business development and operational leadership.
He received a master of science degree in industrial engineering from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany and master of business administration degree in finance, strategy and entrepreneurship from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
He began his career with McKinsey, advising chemical and agriculture corporations, before joining Syngenta in 2006, working in various strategic, commercial, and executive roles, including regional director of Latin America in São Paulo, Brazil, having full responsibility for a US$4 billion business operation.
In 2018, he joined Indigo AG as international chief operating officer, responsible for developing and executing a strategy to expand Indigo’s presence globally and subsequently took over global commercial leadership as chief commercial officer.
“I am thrilled to join RiceTec, and I look forward to continuing to expand RiceTec’s business and bring our leading technology to rice farmers for a more sustainable agricultural market,” said Neuffer.
Gumina will continue with RiceTec until his retirement on July 31, 2022, and Neuffer’s role will take effect on August 1, 2022.
RiceTec Inc. is a private American company based and headquartered in Alvin, Texas, that develops and produces hybrid rice seed for the American and various international markets.
The company has been driving food production sustainability through rice seed technology. It began developing hybrid rice seed in 1988, offering the first commercial hybrid rice seed product in 1999.
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