作為世界領(lǐng)先的農(nóng)業(yè)公司之一先正達(dá)的首席執(zhí)行官,洛文杰必須謹(jǐn)慎行事。該公司生產(chǎn)的化學(xué)品在過去幾十年里助力提高農(nóng)業(yè)產(chǎn)量,足以養(yǎng)活全球80億人口。但就像它的競爭對手,包括孟山都(Monsanto)和拜耳(Bayer)一樣,先正達(dá)生產(chǎn)的化肥也從未遠(yuǎn)離爭議。
不同尋常的是,先正達(dá)是一家由中國國有企業(yè)中化集團(tuán)(Sinochem)全資擁有的西方公司。然而,這種獨(dú)特的所有權(quán)結(jié)構(gòu)在今天所帶來的挑戰(zhàn),要比幾年前中西方經(jīng)濟(jì)相互交織、合作融洽時所面臨的挑戰(zhàn)更為嚴(yán)峻。
經(jīng)過幾個月的電子郵件、電話溝通,以及在達(dá)沃斯的一次非正式聚會,洛文杰的團(tuán)隊(duì)才同意接受《財(cái)富》雜志的正式采訪。
100+:先正達(dá)業(yè)務(wù)遍及的國家數(shù)量
雖然洛文杰是律師出身,但他也是第五代農(nóng)民,在杜邦先鋒(DuPont Pioneer)和先正達(dá)等農(nóng)業(yè)公司工作了十年之久。他滿懷深情地回憶起自己在田間考察時穿著農(nóng)民服裝的情景,以及他對深受許多美國和全球農(nóng)民喜愛的美國本土企業(yè)約翰迪爾公司(John Deere)的青睞。
但洛文杰在回答我們提出的“首席執(zhí)行官議程”問題時,卻透露出他是一位深藏不露的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者。他是我認(rèn)識的第一位使用reMarkable的首席執(zhí)行官,我去年也開始使用這款記事平板電腦。他還是一個如饑似渴的讀者,閱讀的書籍涵蓋了當(dāng)代商業(yè)書籍、歷史書籍以及像《殺死一只知更鳥》(To Kill a Mockingbird)這樣的經(jīng)典名著。
為精簡起見,本訪談經(jīng)過編輯。
言歸正傳
《財(cái)富》:你在公司里正在進(jìn)行的最重要的項(xiàng)目是什么?
最具變革性的項(xiàng)目之一是我們?nèi)绾卧谌痉秶鷥?nèi)利用數(shù)據(jù)和人工智能。數(shù)據(jù)分析正在徹底改變我們在遺傳學(xué)、化學(xué)和生物制劑方面的研發(fā)工作。例如,我們在尋找新活性成分的研究項(xiàng)目中,100%使用機(jī)器學(xué)習(xí)模型來優(yōu)化分子設(shè)計(jì)和選擇,貫穿發(fā)現(xiàn)、優(yōu)化和選擇的各個階段。通過數(shù)字化設(shè)計(jì)和數(shù)據(jù)驅(qū)動的對環(huán)境、害蟲和使用模式的洞察,這為農(nóng)民帶來了創(chuàng)新價(jià)值的重大提升。我認(rèn)為數(shù)據(jù)管理和人工智能將改變我們和全世界農(nóng)民的游戲規(guī)則。
你最關(guān)心的國際新聞是什么?
作為深度參與農(nóng)業(yè)的人,糧食安全以及可持續(xù)養(yǎng)活全球不斷增長的人口所面臨的挑戰(zhàn)始終是我的心頭大事。氣候變化和資源限制給我們的糧食系統(tǒng)帶來了巨大壓力,而沖突和戰(zhàn)爭讓這種情況進(jìn)一步惡化。全世界的農(nóng)民一直發(fā)揮著關(guān)鍵作用,鑒于這些逆境,其作用變得更加重要。
你最看好整個社會和經(jīng)濟(jì)的哪個長期趨勢?哪一個最讓你擔(dān)憂?
以對環(huán)境負(fù)責(zé)的方式養(yǎng)活不斷增長的全球人口是人類面臨的最大挑戰(zhàn)之一。在生物基投入、碳封存和再生農(nóng)業(yè)實(shí)踐等領(lǐng)域,我們發(fā)現(xiàn)了令人振奮的進(jìn)展,這將有助于農(nóng)民提高產(chǎn)量,同時減少農(nóng)業(yè)對環(huán)境的影響。
但我對氣候變化的威脅感到擔(dān)憂。氣溫升高、極端天氣事件愈發(fā)頻繁以及水資源短缺,都給全球農(nóng)業(yè)生產(chǎn)力帶來了巨大風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。這事關(guān)重大。在沖突不斷升級的世界中,全球糧食供應(yīng)中斷使更多人面臨饑餓風(fēng)險(xiǎn),這有可能進(jìn)一步加劇動蕩和不穩(wěn)定。我們需要加強(qiáng)創(chuàng)新和放松監(jiān)管,以確保農(nóng)民能夠獲得合適的工具來改善糧食安全和應(yīng)對氣候變化的不利影響。事實(shí)上,通過正確的創(chuàng)新,我們可以在現(xiàn)有的耕地上生產(chǎn)更多的糧食,并減少農(nóng)業(yè)對氣候的影響。
如果你是歐洲的經(jīng)濟(jì)政策制定者,你的首要任務(wù)是什么?
至關(guān)重要的是,我們要恢復(fù)歐洲在農(nóng)業(yè)領(lǐng)域的競爭力,以與美國等主要生產(chǎn)國相媲美。歐洲各地廣泛的抗議活動凸顯了農(nóng)民的不滿情緒,許多歐洲農(nóng)場難以過上體面的生活。多年來過度的監(jiān)管官僚體制導(dǎo)致歐洲農(nóng)民獲得農(nóng)業(yè)領(lǐng)先創(chuàng)新的機(jī)會減少,削弱了他們的競爭能力。我的首要任務(wù)將是營造良好的環(huán)境,為獲取最佳技術(shù)和創(chuàng)新創(chuàng)造更多機(jī)會。這將推動可持續(xù)的生產(chǎn)力,并確保公平競爭環(huán)境。構(gòu)建世界一流的創(chuàng)新生態(tài)系統(tǒng)對歐洲在21世紀(jì)的繁榮至關(guān)重要。
提高效率
你每天幾點(diǎn)起床,晨練的哪一部分為一天的工作做好準(zhǔn)備?
無論在哪個時區(qū),我總是很早起床——通常在凌晨4:30左右。我喜歡以鍛煉開始每一天,然后吃一頓清淡的早餐。我還有一個相當(dāng)固定的日常安排,包括查看重要郵件、閱讀報(bào)紙和為一天的工作做準(zhǔn)備。這有助于我以清晰和專注的心態(tài)為一天的工作做好準(zhǔn)備。
你工作到幾點(diǎn)?是否在夜間和/或周末繼續(xù)發(fā)送電子郵件?
我們的業(yè)務(wù)遍布全球100多個國家/地區(qū),總有工作要完成,因此每天的下班時間可能會有很大差異。雖然我沒有固定的工作時間,但我盡量保持平衡,而且我一直把與家人共度時光放在首位。這有時是一種平衡藝術(shù),但值得一試。在晚上和周末,我盡量抽出時間鍛煉身體,趕進(jìn)度閱讀,但不可避免的是,我有時會在必要時發(fā)送電子郵件,以跟進(jìn)重要問題。
你使用了哪些應(yīng)用程序或方法來提高工作效率?
我使用幾種不同的新聞應(yīng)用程序來了解全球問題的最新進(jìn)展。我是ToDo和OneNote的重度用戶,與我的行政助理協(xié)作跟蹤重要活動并整理筆記。我也剛剛開始使用reMarkable平板電腦做電子筆記。和所有農(nóng)民一樣,我也有幾個天氣應(yīng)用程序和商品市場應(yīng)用程序,并通過CropWise和JD OpsCenter跟蹤農(nóng)場活動。娛樂方面,我喜歡在Chess.com應(yīng)用程序下棋。
誰是你的“私人董事會”成員?
我的私人董事會不僅僅是由農(nóng)業(yè)領(lǐng)域的同事和農(nóng)業(yè)朋友組成的。這是一個跨越技術(shù)和可持續(xù)性等不同領(lǐng)域的多元化群體。我的私人董事會中最重要的成員之一是我的孩子。他們讓我時刻保持警惕,幫助我了解最新趨勢。他們一起為我提供坦誠的反饋,質(zhì)疑我的想法,使我能夠采取更全面的方法。
私人問題
你最近或過去讀過的哪本書對你有啟發(fā)?
我喜歡閱讀各種書籍。我最近讀了安德魯·羅伯茨(Andrew Roberts)的《丘吉爾傳:與命運(yùn)同行》(Churchill: Walking with Destiny)和沃爾特·艾薩克森(Walter Isaacson)的《埃隆·馬斯克傳》(Elon Musk)。我還喜歡幾本關(guān)于人工智能和量子計(jì)算的書,包括加來道雄(Michio Kaku)寫的《量子霸權(quán)》(Quantum Supremacy)。我特別喜歡的一些經(jīng)典作品包括歐內(nèi)斯特·海明威(Ernest Hemingway)的《太陽照常升起》(The Sun Also Rises)和《老人與海》(The Old Man and the Sea);喬治·艾略特(George Eliot)的《織工塞拉斯馬南》(Silas Marner);當(dāng)然還有哈珀·李的《殺死一只知更鳥》,這本書啟發(fā)我進(jìn)入法學(xué)院學(xué)習(xí)。由于很難抽出時間閱讀長篇小說,我喜歡閱讀短篇小說,比如列夫·托爾斯泰(Leo Tolstoy)的《主與仆》(Master and Man)、安東·契訶夫(Anton Chekhov)的《鵝莓》(Gooseberries)。最近,我一直在閱讀有關(guān)土壤健康和再生農(nóng)業(yè)的書籍,其中一本是加布·布朗(Gabe Brown)的《從泥土到土壤》(Dirt to Soil)。
如果可以問你的偶像一個問題,你會問誰,問什么?
那就是諾曼·勃勞格博士,他通常被認(rèn)為是"綠色革命之父"。他致力于開發(fā)高產(chǎn)抗病小麥品種,使數(shù)百萬人免于饑餓。我會問他:"隨著全球人口的增長和氣候變化的挑戰(zhàn),您會推薦哪些創(chuàng)新或戰(zhàn)略來繼續(xù)以可持續(xù)的方式提高糧食產(chǎn)量?”
作為消費(fèi)者,你最喜歡哪家公司,為什么?
如果你參觀我的農(nóng)場,就會發(fā)現(xiàn)約翰迪爾在這個名單上名列前茅。多年來,我家一直是約翰迪爾各種產(chǎn)品的忠實(shí)客戶。除了核心機(jī)械工程方面的改進(jìn),自動化和數(shù)字連接方面的進(jìn)步也讓我感到振奮。數(shù)字生態(tài)系統(tǒng)在傳統(tǒng)機(jī)械公司和農(nóng)學(xué)投入提供商(如先正達(dá)和我們的CropWise數(shù)字平臺)之間建立了強(qiáng)大的新聯(lián)系。
最后問個輕松點(diǎn)的問題:你最近一次穿的服裝是什么?
我沒那么多服裝,多得是在田間耕作時的農(nóng)民裝備和最新的現(xiàn)代農(nóng)業(yè)技術(shù)。在創(chuàng)新方面,我是一個先行者。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:中慧言-王芳
作為世界領(lǐng)先的農(nóng)業(yè)公司之一先正達(dá)的首席執(zhí)行官,洛文杰必須謹(jǐn)慎行事。該公司生產(chǎn)的化學(xué)品在過去幾十年里助力提高農(nóng)業(yè)產(chǎn)量,足以養(yǎng)活全球80億人口。但就像它的競爭對手,包括孟山都(Monsanto)和拜耳(Bayer)一樣,先正達(dá)生產(chǎn)的化肥也從未遠(yuǎn)離爭議。
不同尋常的是,先正達(dá)是一家由中國國有企業(yè)中化集團(tuán)(Sinochem)全資擁有的西方公司。然而,這種獨(dú)特的所有權(quán)結(jié)構(gòu)在今天所帶來的挑戰(zhàn),要比幾年前中西方經(jīng)濟(jì)相互交織、合作融洽時所面臨的挑戰(zhàn)更為嚴(yán)峻。
經(jīng)過幾個月的電子郵件、電話溝通,以及在達(dá)沃斯的一次非正式聚會,洛文杰的團(tuán)隊(duì)才同意接受《財(cái)富》雜志的正式采訪。
先正達(dá)業(yè)務(wù)遍及的國家數(shù)量。
雖然洛文杰是律師出身,但他也是第五代農(nóng)民,在杜邦先鋒(DuPont Pioneer)和先正達(dá)等農(nóng)業(yè)公司工作了十年之久。他滿懷深情地回憶起自己在田間考察時穿著農(nóng)民服裝的情景,以及他對深受許多美國和全球農(nóng)民喜愛的美國本土企業(yè)約翰迪爾公司(John Deere)的青睞。
但洛文杰在回答我們提出的“首席執(zhí)行官議程”問題時,卻透露出他是一位深藏不露的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者。他是我認(rèn)識的第一位使用reMarkable的首席執(zhí)行官,我去年也開始使用這款記事平板電腦。他還是一個如饑似渴的讀者,閱讀的書籍涵蓋了當(dāng)代商業(yè)書籍、歷史書籍以及像《殺死一只知更鳥》(To Kill a Mockingbird)這樣的經(jīng)典名著。
為精簡起見,本訪談經(jīng)過編輯。
言歸正傳
《財(cái)富》:你在公司里正在進(jìn)行的最重要的項(xiàng)目是什么?
最具變革性的項(xiàng)目之一是我們?nèi)绾卧谌痉秶鷥?nèi)利用數(shù)據(jù)和人工智能。數(shù)據(jù)分析正在徹底改變我們在遺傳學(xué)、化學(xué)和生物制劑方面的研發(fā)工作。例如,我們在尋找新活性成分的研究項(xiàng)目中,100%使用機(jī)器學(xué)習(xí)模型來優(yōu)化分子設(shè)計(jì)和選擇,貫穿發(fā)現(xiàn)、優(yōu)化和選擇的各個階段。通過數(shù)字化設(shè)計(jì)和數(shù)據(jù)驅(qū)動的對環(huán)境、害蟲和使用模式的洞察,這為農(nóng)民帶來了創(chuàng)新價(jià)值的重大提升。我認(rèn)為數(shù)據(jù)管理和人工智能將改變我們和全世界農(nóng)民的游戲規(guī)則。
你最關(guān)心的國際新聞是什么?
作為深度參與農(nóng)業(yè)的人,糧食安全以及可持續(xù)養(yǎng)活全球不斷增長的人口所面臨的挑戰(zhàn)始終是我的心頭大事。氣候變化和資源限制給我們的糧食系統(tǒng)帶來了巨大壓力,而沖突和戰(zhàn)爭讓這種情況進(jìn)一步惡化。全世界的農(nóng)民一直發(fā)揮著關(guān)鍵作用,鑒于這些逆境,其作用變得更加重要。
你最看好整個社會和經(jīng)濟(jì)的哪個長期趨勢?哪一個最讓你擔(dān)憂?
以對環(huán)境負(fù)責(zé)的方式養(yǎng)活不斷增長的全球人口是人類面臨的最大挑戰(zhàn)之一。在生物基投入、碳封存和再生農(nóng)業(yè)實(shí)踐等領(lǐng)域,我們發(fā)現(xiàn)了令人振奮的進(jìn)展,這將有助于農(nóng)民提高產(chǎn)量,同時減少農(nóng)業(yè)對環(huán)境的影響。
但我對氣候變化的威脅感到擔(dān)憂。氣溫升高、極端天氣事件愈發(fā)頻繁以及水資源短缺,都給全球農(nóng)業(yè)生產(chǎn)力帶來了巨大風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。這事關(guān)重大。在沖突不斷升級的世界中,全球糧食供應(yīng)中斷使更多人面臨饑餓風(fēng)險(xiǎn),這有可能進(jìn)一步加劇動蕩和不穩(wěn)定。我們需要加強(qiáng)創(chuàng)新和放松監(jiān)管,以確保農(nóng)民能夠獲得合適的工具來改善糧食安全和應(yīng)對氣候變化的不利影響。事實(shí)上,通過正確的創(chuàng)新,我們可以在現(xiàn)有的耕地上生產(chǎn)更多的糧食,并減少農(nóng)業(yè)對氣候的影響。
如果你是歐洲的經(jīng)濟(jì)政策制定者,你的首要任務(wù)是什么?
至關(guān)重要的是,我們要恢復(fù)歐洲在農(nóng)業(yè)領(lǐng)域的競爭力,以與美國等主要生產(chǎn)國相媲美。歐洲各地廣泛的抗議活動凸顯了農(nóng)民的不滿情緒,許多歐洲農(nóng)場難以過上體面的生活。多年來過度的監(jiān)管官僚體制導(dǎo)致歐洲農(nóng)民獲得農(nóng)業(yè)領(lǐng)先創(chuàng)新的機(jī)會減少,削弱了他們的競爭能力。我的首要任務(wù)將是營造良好的環(huán)境,為獲取最佳技術(shù)和創(chuàng)新創(chuàng)造更多機(jī)會。這將推動可持續(xù)的生產(chǎn)力,并確保公平競爭環(huán)境。構(gòu)建世界一流的創(chuàng)新生態(tài)系統(tǒng)對歐洲在21世紀(jì)的繁榮至關(guān)重要。
提高效率
你每天幾點(diǎn)起床,晨練的哪一部分為一天的工作做好準(zhǔn)備?
無論在哪個時區(qū),我總是很早起床——通常在凌晨4:30左右。我喜歡以鍛煉開始每一天,然后吃一頓清淡的早餐。我還有一個相當(dāng)固定的日常安排,包括查看重要郵件、閱讀報(bào)紙和為一天的工作做準(zhǔn)備。這有助于我以清晰和專注的心態(tài)為一天的工作做好準(zhǔn)備。
你工作到幾點(diǎn)?是否在夜間和/或周末繼續(xù)發(fā)送電子郵件?
我們的業(yè)務(wù)遍布全球100多個國家/地區(qū),總有工作要完成,因此每天的下班時間可能會有很大差異。雖然我沒有固定的工作時間,但我盡量保持平衡,而且我一直把與家人共度時光放在首位。這有時是一種平衡藝術(shù),但值得一試。在晚上和周末,我盡量抽出時間鍛煉身體,趕進(jìn)度閱讀,但不可避免的是,我有時會在必要時發(fā)送電子郵件,以跟進(jìn)重要問題。
你使用了哪些應(yīng)用程序或方法來提高工作效率?
我使用幾種不同的新聞應(yīng)用程序來了解全球問題的最新進(jìn)展。我是ToDo和OneNote的重度用戶,與我的行政助理協(xié)作跟蹤重要活動并整理筆記。我也剛剛開始使用reMarkable平板電腦做電子筆記。和所有農(nóng)民一樣,我也有幾個天氣應(yīng)用程序和商品市場應(yīng)用程序,并通過CropWise和JD OpsCenter跟蹤農(nóng)場活動。娛樂方面,我喜歡在Chess.com應(yīng)用程序下棋。
誰是你的“私人董事會”成員?
我的私人董事會不僅僅是由農(nóng)業(yè)領(lǐng)域的同事和農(nóng)業(yè)朋友組成的。這是一個跨越技術(shù)和可持續(xù)性等不同領(lǐng)域的多元化群體。我的私人董事會中最重要的成員之一是我的孩子。他們讓我時刻保持警惕,幫助我了解最新趨勢。他們一起為我提供坦誠的反饋,質(zhì)疑我的想法,使我能夠采取更全面的方法。
私人問題
你最近或過去讀過的哪本書對你有啟發(fā)?
我喜歡閱讀各種書籍。我最近讀了安德魯·羅伯茨(Andrew Roberts)的《丘吉爾傳:與命運(yùn)同行》(Churchill: Walking with Destiny)和沃爾特·艾薩克森(Walter Isaacson)的《埃隆·馬斯克傳》(Elon Musk)。我還喜歡幾本關(guān)于人工智能和量子計(jì)算的書,包括加來道雄(Michio Kaku)寫的《量子霸權(quán)》(Quantum Supremacy)。我特別喜歡的一些經(jīng)典作品包括歐內(nèi)斯特·海明威(Ernest Hemingway)的《太陽照常升起》(The Sun Also Rises)和《老人與海》(The Old Man and the Sea);喬治·艾略特(George Eliot)的《織工塞拉斯馬南》(Silas Marner);當(dāng)然還有哈珀·李的《殺死一只知更鳥》,這本書啟發(fā)我進(jìn)入法學(xué)院學(xué)習(xí)。由于很難抽出時間閱讀長篇小說,我喜歡閱讀短篇小說,比如列夫·托爾斯泰(Leo Tolstoy)的《主與仆》(Master and Man)、安東·契訶夫(Anton Chekhov)的《鵝莓》(Gooseberries)。最近,我一直在閱讀有關(guān)土壤健康和再生農(nóng)業(yè)的書籍,其中一本是加布·布朗(Gabe Brown)的《從泥土到土壤》(Dirt to Soil)。
如果可以問你的偶像一個問題,你會問誰,問什么?
那就是諾曼·勃勞格博士,他通常被認(rèn)為是"綠色革命之父"。他致力于開發(fā)高產(chǎn)抗病小麥品種,使數(shù)百萬人免于饑餓。我會問他:"隨著全球人口的增長和氣候變化的挑戰(zhàn),您會推薦哪些創(chuàng)新或戰(zhàn)略來繼續(xù)以可持續(xù)的方式提高糧食產(chǎn)量?”
作為消費(fèi)者,你最喜歡哪家公司,為什么?
如果你參觀我的農(nóng)場,就會發(fā)現(xiàn)約翰迪爾在這個名單上名列前茅。多年來,我家一直是約翰迪爾各種產(chǎn)品的忠實(shí)客戶。除了核心機(jī)械工程方面的改進(jìn),自動化和數(shù)字連接方面的進(jìn)步也讓我感到振奮。數(shù)字生態(tài)系統(tǒng)在傳統(tǒng)機(jī)械公司和農(nóng)學(xué)投入提供商(如先正達(dá)和我們的CropWise數(shù)字平臺)之間建立了強(qiáng)大的新聯(lián)系。
最后問個輕松點(diǎn)的問題:你最近一次穿的服裝是什么?
我沒那么多服裝,多得是在田間耕作時的農(nóng)民裝備和最新的現(xiàn)代農(nóng)業(yè)技術(shù)。在創(chuàng)新方面,我是一個先行者。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:中慧言-王芳
As CEO of Syngenta, one of the world’s leading agricultural companies, Jeff Rowe has to tread carefully. The chemicals Syngenta produces have helped agricultural yields grow enough in the past decades to feed a world with 8 billion people. But like its competitors, including Monsanto and Bayer, controversy over the fertilizers Syngenta produces is never far away.
Unusually, Syngenta is a Western company fully owned by Chinese state-owned enterprise, Sinochem. That peculiar ownership structure, however, poses more challenges today than it did a few years back when China and the West were still happily entangling their economies.
It took months of e-mails, calls and an informal gathering at Davos before Rowe’s team felt comfortable taking part in an on the record interview for Fortune.
100+:The number of countries Syngenta operates in.
100+
Though he is a lawyer by training, Rowe is a fifth-generation farmer and has had a decade-long career at agricultural companies such as DuPont Pioneer and Syngenta. He talks fondly of wearing farmer outfits on field trips, or his love for the all-American John Deere company, a favorite among many American and global farmers.
But Rowe’s responses to our CEO Agenda questions reveal a leader with hidden depths. He’s the first CEO I know, to use reMarkable, a note-taking tablet that I also started using last year. And he’s a voracious reader, mixing contemporary business and history books with all-time classics such as To Kill a Mockingbird.
This interview has been edited for brevity.
Down to business
Fortune: What is the single most important project you are working on with your company?
One of the most transformative is how we are leveraging data and AI across the company. Data analytics is completely transforming our R&D efforts in genetics, chemistry, and biologicals. For example, 100% of our research projects to find new active ingredients use machine learning models to optimize molecular design and selection across the phases of discovery, optimization, and selection. This translates into a major improvement in innovation value for farmers through digital design and data-driven insights into environments, pests, and usage patterns. I see data management and AI as a game-changer for us and farmers around the world.
What global news item is top of mind for you?
As someone deeply involved in agriculture, the challenges of food security and sustainably feeding our growing global population are always top of mind. Climate change and resource constraints are putting immense strain on our food systems, a situation further exacerbated by conflict and war. The world’s farmers have always played a crucial role, which has become even more important given these adversities.
Which long-term trend are you most bullish about for society and the economy at large? Which one makes you most worried?
Feeding a growing global population in an environmentally responsible way is one of humanity’s greatest challenges. We’re seeing exciting developments in areas like bio-based inputs, carbon sequestration, and regenerative agriculture practices to help farmers boost yields while reducing agriculture’s environmental footprint.
But I am concerned about the threat of climate change. Rising temperatures, more frequent extreme weather events, and water scarcity pose huge risks to agricultural productivity worldwide. The stakes are high. In a world with escalating conflicts, disruptions to global food supplies are putting more people at risk of hunger, which potentially fuels further unrest and instability. We need more innovation and less regulation to make sure farmers have access to the right tools to improve food security and fight the adverse effects of climate change. In fact, with the right innovation, we can produce more food on existing cropland and lessen the climate impact of agriculture.
If you were an economic policymaker, what would be your top priority for Europe?
It is crucial that we restore Europe’s competitiveness in the agricultural sector to match leading producers like the U.S. The widespread protests across Europe have highlighted the discontent among farmers, with many European farms struggling to earn a decent living. Years of excessive regulatory bureaucracy have resulted in European farmers having less access to leading innovations in agriculture, weakening their ability to compete. My top priority would be to foster an environment that promotes access to the best technologies and innovations. This would drive sustainable productivity and ensure a level playing field. Building a world-class innovation ecosystem is critical for Europe to thrive in the 21st century.
Being productive
What time do you get up, and what part of your morning routine sets you up for the day?
No matter what time zone I am in, I always wake up early – normally around 4:30 a.m. I like to begin each day with a workout, followed by a light breakfast. I also have a fairly structured routine of reviewing key emails, reading newspapers, and preparing for the day. This helps me get ready for what’s ahead with a clear and focused mindset.
Jeff enjoys reading a wide range of books. A book that inspired him to go to law school was Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
Courtesy of Arrow
What time do you work until? Do you continue sending emails during the night and/or weekends?
With operations in over 100 countries around the world, there is always work to be done, so closing out the day can vary greatly from one day to the next. While I do not have set working hours as such, I try to maintain a healthy balance and I have always prioritized spending time with my family. It’s a balancing act at times, but well worth the effort. During the evenings and weekends, I try to stay physically active and catch up on reading, but inevitably I sometimes send emails, when needed, to follow up on important issues.
What apps or methods do you follow to be more productive?
I use several different news apps to stay up to speed on global issues. I am a heavy user of ToDo and OneNote in coordination with my administrative assistant to keep track of key activities and organize my notes. I have also just started using a reMarkable tablet for electronic note-taking. Like all farmers, I have several weather apps, commodity market apps and keep track of farm activities on CropWise and JD OpsCenter. For fun, I enjoy a good game of chess on the Chess.com app.
Who is on your “personal board”?
My personal board isn’t just made up of colleagues and farming friends in the agricultural world. It’s a diverse group that spans different areas like technology and sustainability. One of the most important parts of my personal board are my kids. They keep me on my toes and help me stay up to date with the latest trends. Together, this group provides me with candid feedback and challenges my thinking, allowing me to take a more well-rounded approach.
Getting personal
What book have you read, either recently or in the past, that has inspired you?
I enjoy reading a wide range of books. I recently read “Churchill: Walking with Destiny” by Andrew Roberts and “Elon Musk” by Walter Isaacson. I have also enjoyed several books on artificial intelligence and quantum computing, including “Quantum Supremacy” by Michio Kaku. Some of the classics I particularly like include: “The Sun Also Rises” and “The Old Man and the Sea” – both by Ernest Hemingway; “Silas Marner” by George Eliot, and of course, Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”, which inspired me to go to law school. As it can be difficult to find time to read longer novels, I have also enjoyed reading short stories, like: “Master and Man” by Leo Tolstoy; “Gooseberries” by Anton Chekhov. Lately, I have been exploring books on soil health and regenerative agriculture; one of the first being “Dirt to Soil” by Gabe Brown.
If you could ask your idol one question, who would it be, and what would you ask?
It would be Dr. Norman Borlaug, often considered the father of the Green Revolution. His work on developing high-yielding, disease-resistant wheat varieties saved millions of lives from starvation. I would ask him, “With a growing global population and the challenge of climate change, what innovations or strategies would you recommend to continue increasing food production in a sustainable way?”
As a consumer, what is your favorite company and why?
If you visit my farm, you would see that John Deere is pretty high on this list. My family has been a loyal customer of a wide range of John Deere products for many years. Beyond the core machinery engineering improvements that have been made, I am encouraged by the advancements being made with automation and digital connectivity. The digital ecosystem creates a powerful new connection between traditional machinery companies and agronomy input providers like Syngenta and our CropWise digital platform.
And to end on a lighter note: what was the last costume you wore?
Not so much costumes for me; rather farmer gear and the latest, modern agricultural technology to work the field. I am an early adopter when it comes to innovation.