Message From the Supervisory Board

Though it holds true for every year, 2022 was an especially extraordinary one. The lifting of COVID restrictions early in the year seemed to herald a brighter future following two years of limitations and constraints imposed by the pandemic.

However, this optimism was short-lived. The war in Ukraine in February had a terrible impact on people not only in the region but also worldwide. Increased pressure on the food system and rising fertilizer prices particularly affected those in need, such as smallholder farmers – the very individuals East-West Seed was established to support. We feel a deep sense of responsibility for our farmers throughout the tropical world.

In 2022, East-West Seed demonstrated its resilience and showed itself as a special company. We remain committed to our mission of providing the best seeds and services to our customers, improving their livelihoods, and promoting sustainable farming and business practices. Despite 2022’s challenges, we decided to continue investing in our business, our people, and East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer. Ultimately, we believe that our impact will be greater as we reach more farmers worldwide. We have trust in our company’s strategy and leadership team, and we are confident that East-West Seed has a bright future.

2022 was also a significant milestone in East-West Seed’s history, as it marked 40 years since Simon Groot, along with his local partner Benito Domingo, launched the business in the Philippines. Soon after, he expanded operations to Thailand, where the company’s headquarters now stand. From the outset, Simon’s philosophy centered on putting farmers at the heart of everything we did and planned. He understood that we could only make an impact by expanding our vision and mission to as many countries as possible.

Today, East-West Seed operates not only in Asia but also in Africa and Latin America, with plans to enter new markets in the future. Thanks to a sound strategy, a fantastic team, and a deep understanding of our farmers’ needs in every country in which we operate, we eagerly look forward to the next 40 years of supporting farmers all over the world.

This year also saw a change in East-West Seed’s leadership. Douwe Zijp, who served as a member of our Supervisory Board for nearly five years before accepting the CEO role in 2020 during a transitional period, decided to step down and rejoin the Supervisory Board. We are all immensely grateful for his contributions, passion, and energy, and we warmly welcome him back to the Supervisory Board. With JC Filippi, we found a great successor for Douwe. JC brings over 30 years of senior leadership and business development experience in agribusiness, life sciences, and the food industry across Asia. With JC at the helm, East-West Seed’s future looks bright. Through the support of a robust Managing Board, leadership team, and dedicated employees worldwide, I am confident that we will continue our successful journey and reach even more smallholder farmers in the years to come.

On behalf of the Supervisory Board,

- Ard GrootChairman