Corteva Names Luke Kissam CEO of 'New Corteva' Ahead of Split

Kissam, former Albemarle chief, to lead crop protection division as Corteva restructures into two public companies.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 7:46pm

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A minimalist, high-contrast studio photograph featuring a carefully arranged composition of sleek, metallic objects against a plain white background, conceptually representing the premium, technology-driven focus of the new Corteva crop protection business.The strategic restructuring of Corteva aims to sharpen the company's focus on innovation-driven growth in crop protection technologies.Indianapolis Today

Corteva Inc., the Indianapolis-based agricultural giant, has appointed longtime chemicals executive Luther 'Luke' Kissam as chief executive of 'New Corteva,' the crop protection company that will emerge from Corteva's planned split into two publicly traded businesses later this year. The restructuring is designed to sharpen strategic focus and unlock growth by allowing each company to pursue distinct market opportunities.

Why it matters

The appointment of Kissam, the former chairman and CEO of Albemarle Corp., marks a significant step in Corteva's restructuring strategy as it seeks to position the new crop protection entity as an innovation-driven leader with a focus on nature-inspired technologies and an asset-light operating model.

The details

Kissam 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. 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. 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.

  • Kissam will join Corteva on June 1, 2026.
  • The separation is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2026.
  • Corteva said members of the New Corteva leadership team will host an investor day on September 15, 2026 at the New York Stock Exchange to outline the company's strategy ahead of the separation.

The players

Corteva Inc.

An Indianapolis-based agricultural giant that is splitting into two publicly traded businesses, with New Corteva focused on crop protection and SpinCo focused on seeds and genetics.

Luke Kissam

A longtime chemicals executive who previously served as chairman and CEO of Albemarle Corp. and will now lead the 'New Corteva' crop protection company.

Greg Page

The chair of Corteva, who said Kissam's track record of propelling public companies toward sustained, innovation-led growth will serve farmers, customers and shareholders well.

Chuck Magro

The current Corteva CEO who is expected to lead the SpinCo entity focused on seeds and genetics after the split.

Jeff Rudolph

The chief financial officer who will support Kissam in leading the 'New Corteva' crop protection company.

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What they’re saying

“Luke's track record of propelling public companies toward sustained, innovation-led growth will serve farmers, customers and shareholders well.”

— Greg Page, Chair, Corteva

“It's a pleasure to rejoin an industry delivering solutions to help farmers grow more food and fuel.”

— Luke Kissam

What’s next

Corteva said members of the New Corteva leadership team will host an investor day on September 15, 2026 at the New York Stock Exchange to outline the company's strategy ahead of the separation.

The takeaway

Corteva's restructuring into two independent businesses, with New Corteva focused on crop protection and SpinCo on seeds and genetics, reflects the company's strategic focus on unlocking growth and innovation in distinct market opportunities. The appointment of industry veteran Luke Kissam to lead New Corteva signals Corteva's commitment to positioning the new entity as a leader in nature-inspired crop protection technologies.