Corteva Inc., which is based in Indianapolis, says it has appointed longtime chemicals executive Luther “Luke” Kissam as chief executive of “New Corteva,” the crop protection company that will emerge from its planned split into two publicly traded businesses later this year, a move that marks a significant step in the agricultural giant’s restructuring strategy.
Kissam, the former chairman and chief executive of Albemarle Corp., will join Corteva on June 1 as head of its crop protection division and assume the top role at New Corteva when the separation is completed, expected in the fourth quarter of 2026. Company officials said the appointment follows an extensive global search and reflects a push to position the new entity as an innovation-driven leader in crop protection, with a focus on nature-inspired technologies and an asset-light operating model.
“Luke’s track record of propelling public companies toward sustained, innovation-led growth will serve farmers, customers and shareholders well,” Corteva Chair Greg Page said in a statement.
The company also outlined the executive team that will support Kissam, including Jeff Rudolph as chief financial officer, Brook Cunningham as chief commercial officer and Reza Rasoulpour as chief technology officer, among others. Additional searches are underway for legal and human resources leadership roles.
The separation will create two independent businesses: New Corteva, centered on crop protection, and a second entity—temporarily called SpinCo—that will focus on seeds and genetics, including gene editing and molecular breeding technologies. Current Corteva chief executive Chuck Magro is expected to lead SpinCo following the split.
Executives say the restructuring is designed to sharpen strategic focus and unlock growth by allowing each company to pursue distinct market opportunities. New Corteva plans targeted investments to expand its portfolio and capitalize on early advances in biological and differentiated crop protection products, while SpinCo will concentrate on boosting yields in row crops and exploring new markets through biotechnology.
Kissam, who grew up in a farming community and previously held leadership roles at Monsanto and Merisant, said the new company is well positioned for long-term growth. “It’s a pleasure to rejoin an industry delivering solutions to help farmers grow more food and fuel,” he said.
Corteva said members of the New Corteva leadership team will host an investor day Sept. 15 at the New York Stock Exchange to outline the company’s strategy ahead of the separation.
