About Willem Unger

Willem Unger is a globally seasoned business executive with over 25 years of experience leading strategic transformation, business integration, and operational excellence across industries and continents. He is recognized for his ability to architect complex change from within, harmonize global teams, and deliver measurable business impact in both high-growth and turnaround contexts.

Early Career and Foundations in Strategy

Willem's professional journey began with international exposure during an internship with the Netherlands Embassy in Zimbabwe. There, he conducted field research on the challenges Dutch businesses faced in Africa, setting the tone for a career grounded in strategic thinking and cross-cultural understanding.

His early professional years were marked by roles in business consulting and development at Baan Business Innovation and KPN Internet. At Baan, Willem managed international ERP and operations improvement projects in manufacturing sectors across Europe and the Middle East. At KPN, he supported European expansion efforts by scouting and structuring cross-border internet business ventures. These formative roles developed his skills in opportunity identification, commercial strategy, and deal execution.

Leadership at Syngenta: Integration, Innovation, and Global Operations

Willem joined Syngenta in 2004, marking the start of a transformative 13-year tenure. He began as Global Supply Chain Controller for the Flowers division, managing a $100M cost base and a 20-person global team. Quickly rising through the ranks, Willem became a trusted leader in post-merger integration, supply chain restructuring, and business model design.

Key milestones during his time at Syngenta include:

• Integration Manager (California & Netherlands): Successfully merged family-owned horticulture businesses into the corporate structure, delivering a $35M site master plan and setting the blueprint for future integrations.

• North America Business Integration Lead: Drove the integration of the Crop Protection and Seed Genetics divisions into a $3B go-to-market platform. As the first global region to implement the new strategy, his leadership resulted in a 20% headcount reduction and increased commercial agility.

• Global Lead Crop Integration: Designed the "Solution Enablement Framework" to standardize innovation and GTM strategies across eight crop categories.

• Head of Global Supply Chain Management: Led sourcing transformation by outsourcing production and building a global procurement function, increasing gross margins from 48% to 62%.

• Head of Global Production and Supply, Lawn & Garden Division: Managed $300M in operating costs with full P&L responsibility and 3,000 employees across 15+ countries. Under Willem's leadership, the division returned to profitability through operational excellence, structural cost reductions, and strategic repositioning.

Independent Advisory Work

In 2018, Willem took on an advisory role, leveraging his deep transformation expertise to support companies in agribusiness, horticulture, food production, and life sciences. He advised C-suite executives on commercial strategy, revenue growth, supply chain development, and organizational change.

Executive Leadership at Royal Agrifirm Group

Willem joined Royal Agrifirm Group in 2019, a leading agricultural cooperative in the Netherlands. He was brought in to professionalize and grow the Arable business, initially overseeing commercial operations across Northwest Europe.

In 2020, Willem was appointed Division CEO of Plant-Based Solutions and became a member of the Group Executive Committee. He leads a €400M P&L and has overseen the creation of a new division that transforms Agrifirm’s role from input supplier to strategic value partner. Through digital tool integration, sustainable crop technology, and international expansion, Willem is reshaping the agricultural value chain for a plant-based, data-enabled future.

Leadership Philosophy and Impact

Willem is known for his sharp strategic thinking, results-driven mindset, and inclusive leadership style. His hallmark is the ability to zoom out for long-term vision while executing with precision on the ground. He thrives in complexity, particularly where systems, cultures, and commercial models need alignment.

His leadership consistently drives:

• Cross-border business integration

• Digital and structural innovation

• Operational excellence and P&L turnaround

• Empowered, high-performing teams

Willem’s career is defined by his courage to challenge the status quo, his clarity in driving transformation, and his passion for building businesses that not only grow but also evolve.

He continues to be a sought-after voice in agriculture and transformational leadership, standing at the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and enterprise execution.