Syngenta Group has welcomed two seasoned leaders to its communications team, appointing Dimitri Houtart, as Head of External Communications and Alison Tudor-Ackroyd as Head of Digital and Social Media. Dimitri, who will report to Chief Communications Officer Saswato Das, will lead Syngenta's external communications initiatives from Jealott’s Hill, UK. His role encompasses media relations, social media, and digital media, overseeing efforts across the Group’s operations in over 100 countries.
Dimitri brings 21 years of experience from the BBC, where he held senior editorial roles, including a decade as the BBC’s Rural Affairs Champion and executive editor for rural, environmental, and food topics. He managed an extensive portfolio of rural coverage, spearheading up to 1,000 programs annually. His work has been widely recognized with numerous awards, and he’s known for his dedication to environmental causes. He also served on the board of King Charles’ responsible business network and is a member of the advisory board for TABLE, a collaborative initiative among global institutions examining the future of food systems.
Alison Tudor-Ackroyd will be based in Manchester, UK, and will guide Syngenta’s digital and social media strategies. Previously, she was a director within the international communications team at Alibaba Group, where she also served as Managing Editor of Alizila, the company’s corporate newsroom. Alison has a distinguished background in journalism, with over 20 years of experience at outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and the South China Morning Post. Her career as a business and finance correspondent spanned major global cities, including Tokyo, London, Milan, Paris, and Hong Kong.
The two will collaborate with an international team that includes Beat Werder, Michelle Ng, and Violaine Delli in Basel, Switzerland; Allen Shapard in Washington D.C., US; and Roger Zhang in Shanghai, China, ensuring a cohesive global communications strategy for Syngenta Group.
