FBN^® appoints Diego Casanello as CEO

FBN^® today announced the naming of Diego Casanello as its Chief Executive Officer. The appointment, which was a unanimous decision by the Board of Directors, follows an extensive, global search process. Casanello begins as CEO on March 1, 2024, replacing interim CEO Devin Lammers who served in that role since November 2023. 

Casanello is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in agriculture where he has consistently demonstrated exceptional strategic acumen and a passion for creating value for farmers.

He previously served as CEO of Arysta Life Science Inc., a global provider of crop protection and life science products. He also served as COO of UPL Ltd., an international agrochemical company, and spent more than twenty years with BASF, where he ran business units on four continents. He was most recently the managing partner and CEO of Vidavo Ventures, a VC firm that invests in rural prosperity.

"I'm thrilled and privileged to work with the incredibly talented FBN team and build on FBN's impressive foundation," Casanello said. "FBN has become a vital partner to tens of thousands of farms. It proves how technologies like ecommerce, fintech, and artificial intelligence can create enormous value for farmers. The opportunity to advance agriculture and farmers’ livelihoods is massive. FBN is at the forefront of this revolution. Together, we'll continue to push boundaries and empower farmers to achieve even greater success."

"After a comprehensive search, the board is pleased to have found a leader as exceptionally well-suited to advance our long-term strategy and accelerate growth as Diego,″ said Alan Willits, Chair of the Board of Directors. ″He has a track record of strong leadership in agribusiness and crop protection, as well as fintech and entrepreneurial environments. This, combined with his international and public company experiences, makes him well-positioned to successfully lead FBN into the future." 

"Diego is extremely well suited to lead FBN and further our mission to put Farmers First^®," said Charles Baron, Co-Founder & Chief Product and Marketing Officer. "We look forward to Diego joining and helping catalyze the next era of FBN’s growth, powering the prosperity of family farms and rural communities, and making FBN an outstanding place to work."

Casanello's appointment comes on the heels of several FBN announcements, including its expanded Canadian crop protection product portfolio, growing sustainability programs for farmers, and Regenerative Ag Finance program. 

About Diego Casanello

Casanello has served as the managing partner with Vidavo Ventures, a venture capital firm that he co-founded with other industry executives and CEOs. Prior to this role, he held the position of CEO at Arysta Life Science Inc., a global leader in agricultural inputs and a pioneer in natural alternatives to conventional agrochemicals.

In 2018, he spearheaded the sale of the company to UPL Ltd., resulting in the creation of one of the largest agro-solutions companies globally, and he successfully ran the combined business as Group COO.

Before his tenure at Arysta and UPL, Diego spent more than twenty years with the global agrochemicals manufacturer BASF, where he led business units across four continents. Throughout his career, Diego has amassed extensive global M&A experience, overseeing corporate and private equity transactions.

Originally from Argentina, Diego has resided in Asia, South America, North America, and Europe, engaging with farmers across vastly diverse social and economic landscapes. Drawing from his firsthand experiences, Diego has witnessed how data-science innovation can enhance farmers' lives by boosting farm productivity, profitability, and sustainability. 

Diego resides with his wife and children in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina. He holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Hagen in Germany.