Garth Hodges | Global Agri-Business Leader and Commercial Strategy Expert

Enjoying the Alberta rural life with horses, goats, dogs, cats and a parrot. Married for 40 years, two daughters and a granddaughter all living close by.

Value Proposition

With over 35 years of executive leadership in global agriculture, Garth brings a rare blend of scientific depth and business acumen to every mandate. His clients benefit from his ability to turn science into commercial reality, guide M&A processes, and coach leadership teams through growth and transition. His expertise spans seeds, biotechnology, crop protection, and commercial strategy, always with a focus on making tough decisions, unlocking value, and driving sustainable business outcomes. He has built and led multi-million dollar businesses across multiple continents, holding senior roles with leading crop science companies in Canada, the U.S., Germany, France, and South Africa — not remotely, but while living and working within each market. His hands-on experience includes full P&L oversight, business design, risk mitigation, and managing complex acquisitions and divestitures. Known for combining scientific insight with sharp commercial thinking, Garth supports multinationals, start-ups, and family-run enterprises alike. Whether developing go-to-market strategies, shaping exit plans, or restructuring for growth, he brings clarity, discipline, and lasting impact to every engagement.

Selected Achievements

Built and led seed businesses exceeding US$1 billion in annual sales across canola, soy, corn, and cotton sectors, providing strategic leadership and strengthening operational discipline.
Spearheaded the full lifecycle of M&A activities, including the canola seed divestment in the €7.6 billion acquisition of Bayer’s seed assets by BASF, from scoping and data room prep to management presentations and pre-, post-merger integration.
Closed multiple high-profile deals totalling over $1 billion, including acquisitions (AgraQuest, Prophyta, soy companies in South America) and major licensing partnerships with industry leaders like Monsanto.
Grew business, from $10 million to $150 million+ in revenue by forging major collaboration deals with for example, Cargill and Monsanto.
Negotiated complex licensing agreements in several countries (including China, India, Israel, Australia) to secure freedom to operate, accelerating the commercialization of innovative seeds and seed technologies.
Balanced growth strategy by creating new business units while responsibly downsizing lower-potential segments, redirecting focus and investment to high-return opportunities.
Trusted advisor to a VC company and VC-backed agri-business start-ups, providing critical guidance on market readiness, exit strategies, and scaling operations for investment attractiveness.
Captured 60%+ market share in North America Canola Seeds by securing resources, recognition, and motivation for plant breeding, delivering outstanding products that were expertly demonstrated and marketed to growers.
Held workshops with management and investors, describing entire process of R&D, from regulatory requirements, patent licensing, and seed production to sales and marketing, leveraging experience gained working at multinational seed and trait companies.
Rose to the rank of 2-star lieutenant in the South African Defence Force, gaining unique experience in perseverance and leadership – recognized by receiving the Chief of the Army’s Commendation upon completion of military service.