Origin Agritech Announces Appointment of Two New Independent Directors and Board Restructuring

Rhea-AI Summary

Origin Agritech (NASDAQ: SEED) announced a significant board restructuring, reducing its Board of Directors from seven to five members. The company appointed two new independent directors: Dr. Changqing Mao as Chairman of the Nomination Committee and Mr. Siu Laam Hau as Chairman of the Audit Committee.

Four existing directors - Ms. Fei Wang, Dr. Michael Trimble, Dr. Min Lin, and Mr. Chi Kin Cheng - resigned effective September 12, 2025, with Mr. Cheng maintaining his role as CFO. Dr. Mao brings extensive agricultural industry expertise, having held leadership positions at CITIC AgriScience and Yuan Longping Agricultural High-Tech. Mr. Hau contributes significant financial oversight experience as a Fellow Member of HKICPA and Executive Director of Asian Capital Limited.

Positive

• Streamlined governance structure with reduction from 7 to 5 board members for improved efficiency
• Addition of Dr. Mao brings extensive agricultural industry expertise and leadership experience
• Appointment of Mr. Hau strengthens financial oversight with his certified public accountant background
• CFO maintains position while stepping down from board, ensuring financial continuity

Negative

• Significant board turnover with four directors resigning simultaneously may create temporary transition challenges

Streamlined Board to Support the Company's Growth and Governance Objectives

BEIJING, Sept. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Origin Agritech Ltd. (NASDAQ: SEED) (the "Company" or "Origin"), a leading Chinese agricultural technology company, today announced the appointment of two new independent directors as part of a comprehensive board restructuring initiative. The Board of Directors (the "Board") approved the appointments during a meeting held earlier today, implementing a streamlined governance structure that reduces the Board from seven to five members.

On September 11, 2025, Ms. Fei Wang, Dr. Michael Trimble, Dr. Min Lin, and Mr. Chi Kin Cheng, all directors of the Company, submitted letters of resignation indicating their intention to resign as the Company's directors, effective September 12, 2025, which the Board has accepted. Mr. Cheng will remain as Chief Financial Officer of the Company.

The Company has appointed Dr. Changqing Mao as Independent Director and Chairman of the Nomination Committee, and Mr. Siu Laam Hau as Independent Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee. Both appointments are effective immediately and strengthen Origin's corporate governance capabilities with seasoned expertise in agricultural industry leadership and financial oversight.

Dr. Changqing Mao brings exceptional agricultural industry expertise and senior executive leadership to Origin's Board. Dr. Mao holds a Doctoral degree and currently serves as Co-Chairman of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Research Center of China Agricultural University. His distinguished career includes serving as General Manager of CITIC AgriScience Co., Ltd., Chairman of Yuan Longping Agricultural High-Tech Co., Ltd., and Chairman of CITIC Agricultural Industry Fund Management Co., Ltd. Dr. Mao's extensive background includes senior analytical and strategic roles at CITIC Securities, where he served as Chief Analyst of Agriculture, Forestry, Animal Husbandry and Fishery Industry and Chief Strategist. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from China Agricultural University, an MBA from Peking University's Guanghua School of Management, and a Doctor of Law degree from Jilin University.

Mr. Siu Laam Hau contributes significant financial and corporate governance expertise to the Board. Mr. Hau is a Fellow Member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA). He holds the Financial Risk Manager (FRM) designation from the Global Association of Risk Professionals. He currently serves as Executive Director of Asian Capital Limited, where he is licensed as a responsible officer to conduct corporate finance regulated activities. Mr. Hau previously served as Independent Non-Executive Director of Hong Kong-listed Trio Industrial Electronics Group Limited, where he chaired the remuneration committee and served on the audit and nomination committees. His professional experience spans corporate finance, restructuring services, and audit engagements with leading firms, including KPMG and PKF. Mr. Hau holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree with majors in Accountancy and Corporate Finance from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

"On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank our outgoing directors for their contributions and welcome Dr. Mao and Mr. Hau to Origin's Board of Directors," said Dr. Gengchen Han, Chairman of the Board of Origin Agritech. "Dr. Mao's deep agricultural industry knowledge and proven track record in leading major agricultural enterprises will be invaluable as we continue to expand our biotechnology seed pipeline and market presence. Mr. Hau's extensive financial expertise and corporate governance experience will strengthen our oversight capabilities and support our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of financial reporting and risk management."

About Origin Agritech Limited

Origin Agritech Limited, founded in 1997 and headquartered in Origin R&D Center, Songzhuang, Tongzhou in Beijing, is a leading Chinese agricultural technology company. In crop seed biotechnologies, Origin Agritech's phytase corn was the first transgenic corn to receive the Bio-Safety Certificate from China's Ministry of Agriculture. Over the years, Origin has established a robust biotechnology seed pipeline, including products with glyphosate tolerance and pest resistance (Bt) traits. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.originagritech.com. The Company also maintains an X account for updating investors on Company and industry developments which is https://x.com/origin_agritech.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements address expected future business and financial performance and financial condition and contain words like "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "seek," "will," "would," "target," and similar expressions and variations. Forward-looking statements address matters that are uncertain. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are based on assumptions and expectations that may not be realized. They are based on management's current expectations, assumptions, estimates, and projections about the Company and the industry in which the Company operates but involve a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Some of the important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those discussed in forward-looking statements are: failure to develop and market new products and optimally manage product life cycles; ability to respond to market acceptance, rules, regulations and policies affecting our products; failure to appropriately manage process safety and product stewardship issues; changes in laws and regulations or political conditions; global economic and capital markets conditions, such as inflation, interest and currency exchange rates; business or supply disruptions; natural disasters and weather events and patterns; ability to protect and enforce the Company's intellectual property rights; and separation of underperforming or non-strategic assets or businesses. The Company undertakes no duty or obligation to publicly revise or update any forward-looking statements as a result of future developments, new information, or otherwise, should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure that such expectations will be correct. Actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. You are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements contained herein. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements.

For more information, please contact:
Origin Agritech Limited Contact:
Kate Lang (Mandarin/English)
Director of Investor Relations
Phone: +86 186-1839-3368
Email: bing.lang@originseed.com.cn

Investor Relations Contact:
Matthew Abenante, IRC
President
Strategic Investor Relations, LLC
Tel: 347-947-2093
Email: matthew@strategic-ir.com

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SOURCE Origin Agritech Limited

FAQ

What changes did Origin Agritech (NASDAQ: SEED) make to its Board of Directors in September 2025?

Origin Agritech restructured its board, reducing it from 7 to 5 members. Four directors resigned, and two new independent directors were appointed: Dr. Changqing Mao as Nomination Committee Chairman and Mr. Siu Laam Hau as Audit Committee Chairman.

Who are the new independent directors appointed to Origin Agritech's board?

The new directors are Dr. Changqing Mao, former Chairman of Yuan Longping Agricultural High-Tech, and Mr. Siu Laam Hau, a Fellow Member of HKICPA and Executive Director of Asian Capital Limited.

What happened to Origin Agritech's CFO Chi Kin Cheng?

Mr. Chi Kin Cheng resigned from his position as director but will continue serving as the company's Chief Financial Officer.

What experience does Dr. Changqing Mao bring to Origin Agritech's board?

Dr. Mao brings extensive agricultural industry expertise as Co-Chairman of China Agricultural University's Innovation Center, former General Manager of CITIC AgriScience, and ex-Chairman of Yuan Longping Agricultural High-Tech.

What are Mr. Siu Laam Hau's qualifications for Origin Agritech's board?

Mr. Hau is a Fellow Member of HKICPA, holds FRM designation, and has extensive experience in corporate finance and governance, including roles at KPMG and serving as Independent Director for Trio Industrial Electronics Group.