In the seed industry, change does not always announce itself with a job advert.

More often, it happens quietly. A senior breeder retires after decades of work, a research director steps back, and suddenly a critical breeding programme needs new leadership.

These transitions are not just personnel changes. They are moments that can define the future of a company’s genetic progress, product pipeline, and competitive advantage. When leadership gaps appear unexpectedly, so does risk – to timelines, innovation, and even talent retention.

Yet succession planning often gets deprioritised in busy R&D environments. It is seen as a future concern, or simply an HR task. But in reality, it is a strategic necessity. Preparing the next generation of technical leaders, and knowing where that talent exists inside or outside the organisation, can make the difference between progress and delay.

Strong seed companies do not just build programmes. They build people. And the best ones think ahead, not just to the next season, but to the next chapter.