ADAMA Ltd. has named Zhigang Hao as its new President and CEO and Sammy Leibowitz as Chief Financial Officer, bringing fresh leadership to the global crop protection company as it targets its next phase of growth.
Hao will take over as President and CEO on November 1, 2026, succeeding Gaël Hili. Leibowitz will become CFO on October 1.
Hili is moving to Syngenta Group, where he will become President of Seeds, overseeing the combined Seeds portfolio across field crops and vegetable seeds. He will also remain closely linked to ADAMA as Chairman of the Boards of ADAMA Agricultural Solutions Ltd. and ADAMA Ltd.
Hao joins ADAMA from Adisseo, the global specialty chemicals and animal nutrition company where he currently serves as CEO. He brings experience in global operations, business transformation and corporate governance, having led complex international businesses across multiple markets. He will relocate from France to Israel for his new role.
Leibowitz, meanwhile, returns to ADAMA from Syngenta Group, where he serves as Global Head of Performance Acceleration. He previously spent more than 13 years at ADAMA in senior roles spanning finance, corporate development and strategy and was involved in shaping and executing the company's transformation strategy.
He replaces Efrat Nagar, who will leave ADAMA on September 30 after 22 years with the company. Nagar held several senior finance positions during her tenure, including three and a half years as CFO and five years as a member of the Global ADAMA Leadership Team.
Hengde Qin, CEO of Syngenta Group, said: "Over the past two years, ADAMA has made important progress, strengthening the foundations of the business and establishing a clear strategy for sustainable, profitable growth. I would like to thank Gaël for his leadership, dedication and commitment to ADAMA and its people, and I am pleased that he will remain closely connected to the company as Chairman of the Boards.
“Hao brings deep global, operational and transformation experience that is highly relevant to ADAMA’s next phase of delivering sustainable, profitable growth, while Sammy combines extensive financial and strategic experience with a deep understanding of ADAMA, its people and its business."
