en.Wedoany.com Report on Mar 25th, Chinese agricultural technology company Origin Agritech Limited recently announced personnel changes, appointing Dr. Zhang Jian as an independent member of the company's board of directors and reappointing Dr. Chen Zheng James as Chief Financial Officer. Both personnel adjustments are effective from March 20, 2026. 
Dr. Zhang Jian has over twenty years of experience in the crop biotechnology field, having served at multinational agricultural life sciences companies such as DuPont Pioneer (now Corteva Agriscience), Syngenta, and BASF. His technical expertise in molecular breeding, transgenic trait development, and regulatory affairs will assist Origin in promoting its proprietary seed technologies in both the Chinese and overseas markets.
Dr. Chen Zheng James has previously held senior positions at Origin, including Chief Financial Officer and Chief Executive Officer, giving him a deep understanding of the company's financial structure. His experience at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and with several NASDAQ-listed companies will also be beneficial in driving the company's financial operations in its next phase.
Dr. Mao Changqing resigned from his position as independent director on March 12, 2026, due to new career arrangements, while Mr. Zheng Zhijian (Patrick) resigned as Chief Financial Officer on March 19, 2026, for personal development reasons.
Dr. Han Gengchen, Chairman of Origin Agritech, stated, "We are building Origin around a core team. Dr. Zhang's international background in crop biotechnology R&D gives him a distinct advantage among potential directors the company might consider. His regulatory experience and commercial track record with major global seed companies, combined with Dr. Chen's familiarity with Origin's financial operations and his previous role at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, form a management team capable of effectively driving the company forward. We thank Dr. Mao and Mr. Zheng for their contributions and wish them well in their future endeavors."
Dr. Zhang Jian, aged 62, currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Zhongnong Jianuo Seed Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. He previously served as Chief Technology Officer of Syngenta Group China's seed business and Director of the National Corn Technology Innovation Center. While serving as General Manager of Huazhi Rice Biotechnology Co., Ltd., he established a crop molecular breeding R&D platform in China. Dr. Zhang holds a Ph.D. in Plant Genetic Manipulation from the University of Nottingham, UK, an MBA from the University of Iowa, and a Bachelor's degree in Crop Genetics and Breeding from China Agricultural University.
Dr. Chen Zheng James, aged 60, previously served as Origin's Chief Financial Officer twice, from 2012 to 2016 and from 2018 to 2020, and briefly served as Chief Executive Officer in 2018. Prior to returning to Origin, he served as Chairman of the Board and CEO of China Finance Online and CFO of Yunji. Dr. Chen holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from New York University.
Origin Agritech Limited, founded in 1997, is headquartered at the Origin R&D Center in Songzhuang, Tongzhou, Beijing, and focuses on the agricultural technology sector. The company's phytase corn is China's first genetically modified corn variety to receive a biosafety certificate, and it has built a biotechnology seed pipeline including glyphosate tolerance and insect resistance traits.
