BASF appoints Youssef Babouih as Country Manager for Egypt, Middle East
Prior to this role, he served as Country Manager for Northwest Africa and Managing Director of Nunhems Maroc under BASF APV
EGYPT – BASF Agricultural Solutions, a business unit of the chemical giant BASF, has announced the appointment of Youssef Babouih as Country Manager for its operations in Egypt and the Middle East, effective February 2025.
Babouih brings over 20 years of experience in sales and market development, including more than 12 years specializing in the agribusiness sector. His extensive background encompasses strategic execution, customer engagement, and driving growth across North Africa and the Middle East.
Prior to this role, he served as Country Manager for Northwest Africa and Managing Director of Nunhems Maroc under BASF APV.
In his new position, Babouih will oversee BASF’s agricultural initiatives in a region characterized by rapid market evolution and significant potential.
“Egypt and the Middle East are rapidly evolving markets with unique needs and tremendous potential. I look forward to working with our partners, customers, and BASF teams to deliver sustainable, tailored solutions that empower growers and support food security across the region,” Babouih commented.
BASF has been actively involved in Egypt’s agricultural sector since 1952, supplying a wide range of materials to various industries. The company emphasizes sustainable agriculture, combining economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility.
One of its notable initiatives is the Mobile Agricultural Clinic, launched in 2017, which travels to remote regions to provide smallholder farmers with access to information and technology. This program has reached over 3,500 farmers, offering services such as plant disease diagnosis and guidance on crop protection products.
BASF eyes initial public offering (IPO) by 2027
Recently, BASF Agricultural Solutions announced plans to expand in Asia and global seed markets as it prepares for a stock market listing in about two years, a senior executive told Reuters.
The German industrial chemicals giant has said that its Agricultural Solutions unit should be ready by 2027 for an initial public offering that could see BASF sell a minority stake in the maker of pesticides and seeds.
“We aim to further increase our share of revenue from seeds. We are at close to 22% and we want to move more towards 25%,” Livio Tedeschi, the division’s president, told Reuters.
Among new products underpinning that ambition, BASF is working on hybrid wheat, an approach that has for years been pursued by the industry to boost wheat yields, and new soy variants that resist pests such as soil roundworms.
Tedeschi said this was a high strategic priority and it could be supported by collaboration deals and small acquisitions.A particular geographic focus across products including crop chemicals and digital services was Asia, he added.
“When measured by market share, we are under-represented in Asia. We want to increase our market share,” said Tedeschi.
BASF’s agriculture business posted global 2024 sales of 9.8 billion euros (US$11.1 billion), with Asia accounting for 11.6% of that.
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