Makhteshim Agan Appoints Two New Executives in Europe

TEL-AVIV, Israel and SCHAFFHAUSEN, Switzerland, September 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

The Makhteshim Agan Group (MAI), the world leader in branded off-patent crop protection solutions, today announced two new appointments in the European region.

Jose Luis Collar is appointed as Head of Portfolio Management Europe. In his new position, Mr. Collar will focus on managing and harmonizing MAI's product portfolio in Europe, with a special focus on Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. He will report to Anders Härfstrand, Chief Executive Officer of MAI's Europe Region, and will work closely with the regional, regulatory, development and products & marketing groups. Mr. Collar previously served as Managing Director of Makhteshim Agan Iberia, which includes the Company's marketing activities in Spain and Portugal. This appointment is designed to strengthen MAI's product portfolio and product life cycle management in the European Region.

The Company has appointed Marc Odenthal to succeed Mr. Collar as the General Manager Makhteshim Agan Iberia. Prior to joining MAI, Mr. Odenthal held a number of senior positions at Bayer, most recently as head of its Consumer Care division in the Andean region of South America. He also served previously as head of Bayer Crop Science's (BCS) Global Supply Chain, where he gained considerable experience managing a core operation for the Company.  Mr. Odenthal will report to Sergio Togni, MAI's South Europe Manager, and will be a member of the Company's European Leadership Team.

Both appointments are effective immediately.

Commenting on the news, Mr. Härfstrand said, "Our appointment of Jose Luis Collar and Marc Odenthal to their respective positions in the European region underscores MAI's commitment to accelerating our business activities and marketing platform in Europe. It also reflects the determined efforts to increase our market share in a highly competitive business environment by strengthening management infrastructure and increasing the focus on our product portfolio and product life cycle management."

Härfstrand continued by saying, "We would like to express our deep appreciation to Mr. Collar for his past efforts on behalf of MAI Iberia, and wish him continued success in his new position in our European operations. We also welcome Mr. Odenthal to MAI, and trust that our European management team will benefit significantly from his considerable background and experience, including his extensive knowledge of the Spanish market."

About Makhteshim Agan

Makhteshim Agan Industries Ltd. is a leading manufacturer and distributor worldwide of crop-protection solutions and the largest off-patent player in the sector. The Company supplies efficient solutions to farmers that assist them in combating disease and increasing yields. In 2012, the Company's revenues were over $2.83 billion, and it is ranked seventh in the world in the agro-chemicals industry. The Company is characterized by its know-how, high-level technological-chemical abilities, expertise in product registration, and observance of strict standards of environmental protection, stringent quality control and global marketing and distribution channels. For more information, visit us at http://www.ma-industries.com.

Contact:
Anna Wood
Global Public Relations Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +972-73-232-1941

SOURCE Makhteshim Agan Group