Delta and Pine Land Company today announced that Robert Nixon will join the company as the director of business development.  Rick Greene, D&PL senior vice president for corporate development and international, said that Nixon will be responsible for leading business initiatives to grow and expand the company's U.S. and international business.  Nixon will be working across several groups within the company to expand into new markets, license new technologies and commercialize new products. 

Greene said Nixon is going to be a tremendous addition to the corporate development team.  Greene explained, "With the continuing development of second generation traits from Monsanto and the addition of new technologies from Syngenta and DuPont, we are well positioned to make great strides in the growth of our portfolio and our business overall.  Rob will play a key role, assisting in the implementation of our business strategy and introducing our business into new markets around the globe."

Nixon has worked in the agricultural industry for more than 10 years, with his focus on seed and trait commercialization.  He began his career with Limagrain Canada Seeds, Inc., which was later purchased by Monsanto Company.  Nixon has worked in several capacities at Monsanto focusing in the areas of strategic development, licensing and commercialization of traits.  His career includes extensive experience in analyzing markets, industries and competitors as well as developing strategic plans based on that analysis. 

He has a bachelor of science degree in environmental economics and policy from the University of Alberta (Canada), an advanced graduate degree in management from Athabasca University (Alberta, Canada) and a masters in business administration in agriculture from the University of Guelph (Ontario, Canada).  He will be based at D&PL's office in Memphis and will relocate there in the near future. 

Delta and Pine Land Company is a commercial breeder, producer and marketer of cotton planting seed, as well as soybean seed in the Cotton Belt.  For more than 90 years, the Mississippi-based company has used its extensive plant breeding programs drawing from a diverse germplasm base to develop superior varieties.  Delta and Pine Land (NYSE:  DLP) has offices in eight states and facilities in several foreign countries.