Syngenta Flowers Plant Innovator Josef Fischer Is Retiring
January 26, 2023 
Josef Fischer
Syngenta Flowers has announced that Josef Fischer retired effective Jan. 20, 2023, after a successful 15-year career with the company. Fischer has contributed significantly to Syngenta’s Flowers Organization and continues to be liaised with the floriculture business as an independent consultant to deliver game-changing innovations.
Josef’s career at Syngenta Flowers started in 2008, after the integration of Fischer group, famous for its pelargonium and poinsettia business with well-known varieties such as ‘Tango’. He was the first to offer Xanthomonas-free varieties on the market, developed by his father. The technique developed at that time has brought pelargonium to the level of performance that it has today. Fischer had a strong breeding pipeline, and Syngenta Flowers’ current pelargonium assortment is the result of that heritage. He was also one of the first to move unrooted cuttings production out of mainland Europe, to the Canary Islands in the early 1970s, benefiting from the climate to produce plants more cost-effectively.
Prior to his current role as Global Innovations Manager, Fischer fulfilled key roles such as Head of Marketing Flowers, Head of Technical Product Development and Global Asset Manager for vegetative crops, delivering the basics for interspecific pelargonium and coordinating the development. In these roles, he helped the company navigate through significant change.
In his most recent role at Syngenta Flowers, Fischer helped bring structure to the innovation process and supported the Global Operations Team to think beyond the supply chain. He has been the driver in the development of the well-known Xcarrier concept as well as OptiBoost, in collaboration with OptiCept and Prebona; two companies who deliver game-changing technologies to the industry. OptiBoost is a vacuum infusion technology for treatment of cut flowers and cuttings technology and significantly extends the shelf life such as roses. Fischer will now continue his career in his mission to bring sustainable innovations to the industry.
Mark Schermer, Head of Flowers, says he is thankful for what Josef has meant for the company and is happy to see him continue to contribute to the industry.
“Josef Fischer is a unique character with great passion for the industry,” Schermer says. “He does not only leave a legacy behind, but he will continue to inspire innovation in our company. We wish Josef all the best in his future endeavors.”
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