Introducing the AgriBusiness Global 2026 Visionary Leaders (Part 1)
5 May 2026 As part of the AgriBusiness Global 2026 Visionary Awards, ABG asked this year’s 20 winners about industry trends, tips for navigating those trends, and how they’ve transformed challenges into opportunities throughout their careers.
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The honorees, who exemplify foresight, flexibility, and innovation, were chosen by the AgriBusiness Global Advisory Board and an internal team at Meister Media Worldwide.
Over the next month, AgriBusiness Global will feature five winners each week. In this part, we profile Luis Beconi, General Manager, Chemotecnica SA; Valentyna Bolokhovska, R&D Leader & Co-founder, BTU Biotech Co.; Dr. José Carvalho, Head of Regulatory, EuroBiotrop; Adrienne Chang, Director of International Business, Sino-Agri Leading Bioscience Co., Ltd.; and James Xiaoguang Duan, Ph.D., President, CAC Crop Protection and Vice President, CAC International Group.
Luis Beconi
General Manager
Chemotecnica SA
ABG: What trends are you noticing in the market, and how are you navigating those trends?
Beconi: One prominent trend I am seeing is that the new technologies that are being adopted in crop care are driving the need for products and formulations that adjust to this new reality.
Reducing the carbon footprint throughout the chain, from the origin of raw materials to their transformation and arrival at the crop, is essential to achieve efficiency and sustainability throughout the chain.
TIPS
My tip is to rise to the challenge. One way to do this is with your company’s culture. Your company’s offering of permanent training and the development of people’s skills is key. It is essential to achieve commitment through high-performance work environments that promote teamwork and the personal and professional development of our people.
ABG: How have you turned challenges into opportunities throughout your career? How are you using technology at your company?
Beconi: The most important challenge of the last decade for the company was to grow, in a volatile and changing rule environment, due to local and international factors and also impacted by a pandemic. This context led us to develop strategies that allow great operational versatility and that provided opportunities to generate different business alternatives while maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, and service. That same versatility was a substantial value to the clients with whom we focused and worked so that any setback was transformed into a great opportunity to capture, allowing us to grow in a sustainable way.
Technology is a fundamental factor. We drew up an ambitious plan that was initially focused on safety and environmental issues, giving us much better control throughout the entire production stage and then optimizing all aspects related to the planning and execution of the entire operation. Today, AI and new technologies are revolutionizing agribusiness across the entire value chain, changing paradigms, and challenging us in a highly accelerated evolution.
Valentyna Bolokhovska
R&D Leader & Co-founder
BTU Biotech Co.
ABG: What trends are you noticing in the market, and how are you navigating those trends?
Bolokhovska: The first trend I am seeing in the biologicals sector is the transition to biological protection and integrated systems. The decreasing availability of chemical active ingredients is driving the growth of biocontrol. However, effectiveness is only achieved through a system that combines nutrition, soil processes, and agricultural technologies.
The second is competition at the level of strains, not species. The market is moving from simple “trichoderma” to specific strains with proven effectiveness. It’s no longer just about the concentration. What matters now is antagonistic activity, adaptation to specific soil and climate conditions, and a strong scientific evidence base.
The third is the focus on soil as the foundation of protection. Plant protection doesn’t start with leaf treatments. It starts with managing the soil microbiome. Restoring the biological activity of the soil naturally reduces the pressure from pathogens.
TIPS
My first tip is to invest in science, not just marketing. The future belongs to products with proven effectiveness, which includes field research, strain identification, and clear mechanisms of action. Without this, you cannot build market trust.
My second tip is to think about systems, not just products. A single biological product is not a solution. The real solution is a growing technology where biological products are integrated at every stage, from seeds and soil to the growing season (vegetation).
ABG: How have you turned challenges into opportunities throughout your career? How are you using technology at your company?
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Invested in our own R&D center.
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Implemented technologies for producing stable forms of microorganisms, including dry biological products.
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Moved from a product-based approach to systemic solutions, integrating biologicals into growing technologies (nutrition, protection, and antistress).
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Drought: We developed products with a “priming effect” that increase stress resistance in plants.
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Soil degradation: We focus on biologization and restoring the soil microbiome.
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Regulatory restrictions: We are expanding our biological protection portfolio as an alternative to chemicals.
Dr. José Carvalho
Head of Regulatory
EuroBiotrop
ABG: What trends are you noticing in the market, and how are you navigating those trends?
Carvalho: I think the first trend is that geopolitics is the No. 1 driver, and we cannot ignore it in 2026. Typically, businesses attempt to sideline geopolitics and try to predict or adapt to changes. It works differently today under these new world rules. Companies that have not adjusted to the new reality will have to focus on this in 2026: how to grow under a continuously uncertain business climate, trade turbulence, and investments rerouting away from agriculture.
A second trend is that we will continue to see investments in artificial intelligence, robotics, drones, imaging, and away from other developments in the ag space. After many years of investments going into early-stage companies in the ag input sectors, I fear we will see several companies struggling with funding in 2026 and supporting their precommercial developments. In summary, cash will be a problem in 2026.
Lastly, of course, with the wars driving oil and the fertilizers prices up again, I am expecting the biostimulant and soil conditioner markets to perform well this year.
TIPS
Keep calm at all times. You cannot control it. Get the right people in place who are able to operate under highly uncertain conditions, replan fast, and operate quick U-turns around the business deliverables.
Maintain your five-year business plan, but on your side table, and make sure your teams are not busy just readjusting it every time there is a major shift in the world. Such events happen every second week, and you will lose direction if you focus too much on them. It’s a new relearning process, which we all have to go through.
ABG: How have you turned challenges into opportunities throughout your career? How are you using technology at your company?
Carvalho: We have seen tremendous advances in genome sequencing methodology, for example, allowing us to perform quick and very cheap screening of microbial strains in the area of biological control, plant biostimulation, soil health, and nutrition. This alongside new developments on AI platforms allowing us to aggregate extensive dataset on epigenetics and phenotype data, when integrated properly, could provide interesting paths for faster developments in the future.
On the challenges to opportunities: just take a long breath when something goes wrong and see what you can learn from it. This last decade has been quite remarkable in terms of the challenges and how they are reshaping the ag business: pandemic, global supply chain disruptions, and geopolitics. Particularly in the second half of the past decade, companies have been moving from one disruption to the next and this was a great opportunity for disruptors and fast movers. Flexibility and capacity to quickly turn around a planned strategy became two of the most important assets in a winning organization in our sector.
Adrienne Chang
Director of International Business
Sino-Agri Leading Bioscience Co., Ltd.
ABG: What trends are you noticing in the market, and how are you navigating those trends?
Chang: First, geopolitical volatility is having a much bigger impact on the industry than before. Uncertainty in the global environment is influencing crop prices, trade flows, and the availability of agricultural inputs. For companies operating internationally, this means supply, pricing, and market opportunities can all shift more quickly than expected.
Second, the industry is moving from product export to localized crop protection solutions. In many markets, it is no longer enough to simply offer products. Companies need to understand local crops, local farming practices, local regulations, and local channel needs and then turn that understanding into relevant solutions.
Third, technology is reshaping competition, especially with the faster adoption of AI and digital tools. This is not only changing how companies analyze markets and serve customers, but also how they approach product registration, development, and promotion. More broadly, it reflects a transition from “Made in China” to “Created in China,” with innovation becoming a more important differentiator.
TIPS
If I were to offer two suggestions, the first would be to stay highly alert to global developments and evaluate opportunities with discipline. In today’s environment, growth opportunities are still there, but companies need to balance ambition with a clear understanding of risk.
Second, focus on delivering complete solutions around local crops and local challenges. In a more competitive market, long-term success will not come only from having products, but from combining products with technical support, local understanding, and stronger digital and data capabilities. Those capabilities will be increasingly important in registration, product development, and market expansion.
ABG: How have you turned challenges into opportunities throughout your career? How are you using technology at your company?
Chang: Over the past decade, we have used technology not simply to improve efficiency, but to reshape how we serve global agriculture. At Sino-Agri, this is closely aligned with our mission: to be a facilitator of global crop protection efforts and a contributor to industry advancement.
As the industry has become more competitive, more regulated, and more regionally differentiated, we recognized early that the traditional export-driven model was no longer enough. In response, we have invested in digital tools to strengthen operational efficiency, improve supply chain responsiveness, and gain better visibility into overseas markets. These capabilities help us connect market demand more effectively with product development, technical communication, and customer support.
At the same time, we have turned industry challenges into opportunities by moving closer to the market. Through localization, digitalization, and stronger global coordination, we are building a more flexible platform that can respond faster to customer needs and deliver greater value to suppliers, channel partners, and growers. For us, technology is not just about automation — it is about becoming a more adaptive, more customer-oriented, and more value-driven company in a rapidly changing global crop protection industry.
James Xiaoguang Duan, Ph.D.
President, CAC Crop Protection
Vice President, CAC International Group
ABG: What trends are you noticing in the market, and how are you navigating those trends?
Duan: A first trend to pay attention to is AI-aided digital integration and precision application. The fusion of ag tech and crop protection is accelerating beyond simple e-commerce. The focus is now on precise application using data from satellites, drones, and in-field sensors. This enables variable-rate spraying, disease prediction models, and prescription-based input plans. Companies are no longer just selling products. They are providing digitally enabled outcome-based solutions that maximize efficacy and minimize environmental footprint.
A second trend is biologicals and hybrid solutions as mainstream options. Biological pesticides and biostimulants have moved from niche to core portfolio elements. The major trend in 2026 is the development and promotion of hybrid programs that combine biological and conventional chemical actives. This addresses the dual demand for effective resistance management, enhanced sustainability profiles, and meeting residue requirements for high-value crops, both domestically and for export.
A third trend is the value chain integration and sustainability-linked commerce. The industry is increasingly pressured and incentivized by full value-chain demands, from food processors and retailers to consumers and regulators. Adoption is driven by tangible metrics like carbon footprint reduction, biodiversity impact, and residue transparency. Commercial models are evolving, with financing, insurance, and premium procurement contracts increasingly tied to the adoption of certified sustainable practices and products, creating a powerful new driver for farmer adoption.
TIPS
A first tip is to build ecosystems. Don’t just sell products. To compete, companies must move beyond a pure product-centric model. Success lies in building or integrating into digital and service ecosystems. This means forming strategic partnerships with ag tech platforms, precision application service providers, data companies, and financial institutions. The goal is to embed your solutions — whether chemical, biological, or hybrid — into a platform that helps the grower manage risk, optimize resources, and access premium markets. Your value proposition becomes your place in the system.
A second tip is to reframe your portfolio as a “toolbox” for prescribed outcomes. Organize commercial and technical efforts around grower outcomes (e.g., “protected yield with lower residues,” “soil health enhancement”) rather than product categories. Train your teams to act as solution architects who diagnose the grower’s agronomic and commercial challenges and then prescribe the optimal tool or combination of tools from the portfolio — be it a chemical, a biological, a digital service, or a hybrid program. This agronomic consulting approach, backed by robust data, builds deeper trust and aligns perfectly with the trend toward precision and sustainability.
ABG: How have you turned challenges into opportunities throughout your career? How are you using technology at your company?
Duan: I am honored to have led the launch of two groundbreaking, globally leading crop protection products in the Chinese market over the past decade, during my tenure as Head of Marketing at Syngenta China and later as President of the Crop Protection Unit at CAC International.
The Chinese crop protection market is highly fragmented, with approximately 300,000 retail outlets serving around 200 million growers. This makes technology extension, product promotion, and stakeholder communication exceptionally challenging.
In late 2019, Syngenta’s leading fungicide received registration approval in China. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to organize traditional grower and retailer meetings for the product launch, and all previously scheduled in-person events had to be canceled. Facing this unprecedented situation under significant time pressure, I led a cross-functional launch team to turn the challenge into an opportunity. After thorough discussion and careful planning, we decided to launch the product entirely online. We organized 30 virtual launch events across the country, inviting thousands of growers and retailers to participate digitally. The use of digital communication technology proved highly effective, enabling us to reach and engage a far greater number of potential customers than originally anticipated. Since its launch, this product has become the largest-selling fungicide in the Chinese market.
In 2024, CAC secured registration for its novel insecticide in China. For this launch, we adopted an integrated approach, combining field demonstrations and on-site promotions with synchronized live digital broadcasts. This hybrid model allowed us to engage even more growers online while maintaining impactful in-person interactions. Once again, digital technology played a crucial role in expanding our reach across grower and customer communities. CAC’s innovative insecticide is now on way to become the market leader in China.
Learn more about the 2026 Visionary Award winners.
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