Switzerland-based crop seed developer Syngenta has hired David Pierson (pictured) from venture capital firm Intersouth Partners as a managing director (MD) of its corporate venturing unit.
Pierson joins Syngenta Ventures after seven years as a partner at US-based Intersouth, which is reportedly expecting to try and raise a new fund, but remains on the board of directors at academic commercialisation bodies, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was unavailable to comment.
Syngenta has reorganised and expanded its corporate venturing unit this year under Alex Steel following the departure of John Cripps last year. Pierson works as a MD at Syngenta Ventures alongside Carol Marino and Ignacio Martinez.
Agricultural businesses, such as Syngenta, Monsanto and Cargill, have been increasing their venturing activities as in less than twenty years the world will need to be producing 50% more food and 50% more energy, according to the Society of Chemical Industry. By 2050, global agriculture will need to be feeding 9 billion people, as well as contributing fuel and energy feedstocks, materials and natural products such as phytopharmaceuticals.