CEO and Illinois farmer Jeff Rowe will be succeeded by Hengde Qin, the operating chief and former head of its China business Syngenta CEO Jeff Rowe will remain in the role through Aug. 1 before returning to the U.S. Anthony Collins/Syngenta Syngenta Group chief executive and Illinois farmer Jeff Rowe plans to step down from the company’s top job, and he’ll be replaced by the operating chief and former head of its China business.