Basel Metropolitan Area
An accomplished and results-oriented R&D leader with over 15 years of progressive experience in agrochemical active ingredient (AI) discovery, research management, and team leadership. Currently leading Disease Control Portfolio Research Chemistry at Syngenta, I am passionate about influencing and leading the innovation and delivery of agrochemical solutions that address the critical challenges of sustainable agriculture. My expertise lies in building and transforming high-performing scientific teams, driving complex research projects in early-stage research, and fostering a culture of innovation and efficiency. I have a proven track record in: • Strategic R&D Leadership: Guiding multi-disciplinary teams (up to 65 scientists) in the discovery and optimization of novel agrochemical active ingredients. • Team & Talent Development: Recruiting, coaching, mentoring, and upskilling synthesis and design chemists, fostering a growth mindset, and developing future leaders. • Innovation & Project Management: Acting as a project leader for early fungicide project, overseeing project portfolios from chemistry function, and ensuring seamless coordination with stakeholders. • Operational Excellence: Implementing various transformation initiatives for digital/scientific upskilling, flexible R&D operations and enhanced productivity. • Intellectual Property: Co-inventor on 32 patents/applications across various agrochemical projects. • Collaboration & Academia: Managing university collaborations, supervising PhD students, and contributing to scientific publications. With a PhD in Asymmetric Organic Synthesis and a Post Graduate Certificate in Business Management (PGCBM) from XLRI, Jamshedpur, I combine deep scientific acumen with strong business and leadership capabilities, driving impactful change and delivering tangible results in a dynamic global R&D environment.
• Leading a group of Crop Protection research chemists (Project Leaders and Lead Chemists), overseeing early-stage 1 research projects in disease and insect control Chemistry • Previously led a larger group of 28 CPR and synthesis chemists, driving an overhaul of the Stein Research Chemistry group, implementing a transformation to significantly upskill synthesis chemists and develop a highly competent design team • Acting as a project leader for an early fungicide project, identifying solutions for critical agricultural challenges like Asian soybean rust • Key responsibilities include recruitment, coaching, mentoring, performance management, project oversight, stakeholder coordination, resource allocation, change management, operational issues, and HSE • Active member of the site leadership team, contributing to broader site strategic initiatives
• Led and managed a large group of 65 scientists (MSc and PhDs), overseeing all aspects of research chemistry-Synthesis operations. • Successfully implemented a organizational overhaul eliminating indication silos and enabling flexible work for 'one-portfolio' demands, significantly enhancing group agility and productivity. • Developed a highly competent synthesis team and design capabilities, identifying and grooming champions for various scientific capabilities. • Managed recruitment, coaching, mentoring, conflict resolution, project oversight, stakeholder coordination, resource allocation, change management, and operational requirements. • Active member of the site leadership team, addressing various site-level issues.
• Developed and applied stereoselective 1,2-metallate rearrangement of organoboron compounds for synthesis of all-carbon quaternary centers and natural product applications. • Synthesized three different asymmetric methodologies and five complex natural products/drug molecules. • Authored five high-quality publications. • Supervised 4 Masters’ students and managed a 12-member laboratory.
• Developed stereoselective methodologies and applied them in total synthesis of biologically active natural products (e.g., Phoslactomycin, Leustroducsin B, Crocacin) • Authored two publications
• Discovered novel nucleating agents that effectively controlled polypropylene crystallization, resulting in the production of transparent materials with broad applicability