Corteva Chief Executive Officer James C. Collins, Jr. to retire at year end

On June 23, Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA) announced that James (Jim) C. Collins, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, will retire from Corteva, effective December 31, 2021, after more than 37 years with the company and its predecessor, DuPont. Mr. Collins has agreed to continue in his role as CEO while an external search for his successor is underway.

"Over the past several years, Jim guided the creation and launch of Corteva as a leading, independent global agriculture company and he will leave the company on a very strong footing,” said Greg Page, Independent Chairman of Corteva. “The Board and I are grateful for everything Jim accomplished for our company, its employees and customers, and our shareholders. Through Jim’s contributions, the company is well positioned to continue strong forward momentum looking ahead. We will begin the search for Jim’s successor immediately and appreciate his willingness to remain in place to assure a smooth transition.”

“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to work with such an outstanding team. We have established the foundation for an exceptional company, built for sustainable growth as it serves its vital purpose. I am so proud of what we have accomplished together,” Mr. Collins said.

“The work of successfully creating Corteva following the merger of Dow and DuPont, standing it up as an independent company, and leading it through arguably some of the most volatile periods in the history of agriculture has been both an honor and a great responsibility. After conversations with our Board, we agreed that with the company on solid ground, this is the opportune time to make a leadership change. I will continue to serve as CEO until the Board identifies a successor. The organization remains focused on execution, and we are on track to deliver on our financial commitments for the first half 2021 and will provide further updates on the full year outlook during the second quarter earnings call. We have created a special culture at Corteva, backed up by sustainability goals to advance agriculture resiliency, and I am confident that while we will see healthy change, our commitment to our shareholders, our customers, and to a safer, healthier planet will endure for years to come.”

Bio

James C. Collins, Jr. is Chief Executive Officer of Corteva Agriscience. Collins was previously Chief Operating Officer for the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont. Prior to the DowDuPont merger, he was an Executive Vice President for DuPont responsible for the Agriculture segments, which included DuPont Crop Protection and Pioneer.

Starting with the announcement of the DowDuPont merger, Collins led the integration of legacy DuPont and Dow agricultural businesses to drive readiness for the ultimate spin of Corteva – a new leading pure-play agriculture company – which successfully separated from DowDuPont on June 1, 2019. During this time-period, strategic initiatives included launching 14 new products from the innovation pipeline, implementing a multi-channel, multi-brand growth strategy, and making significant progress toward a best-in-class cost structure.

Collins joined DuPont in 1984 and has since served in key leadership roles across several DuPont businesses. His work in the Agriculture segment began over 35 years ago. Prior to leading the Agriculture segment, he led two other large DuPont business segments, Performance Materials and Electronics & Communications.

Collins currently serves on the board of directors for CropLife International and Longwood Gardens, and is a Champion of the Crop Trust's Food Forever Initiative. A supporter of youth education and leadership development, Collins also serves on the National 4‑H Council Board and University of Tennessee Lone Oaks Farm Advisory Council. He has also been awarded an honorary American FFA Degree for his efforts to promote agriculture education with youth in the United States.

Collins is also a member of the Business Round Table, serving in the Special Committee on Equity and Racial Justice, Climate Policy and Trade Committees.