Origin Agritech Appoints Mr. Weibin Yan as Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors; Dr. Gengchen Han to Remain as Chairman of the Board

BEIJING, Aug. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Origin Agritech Ltd. (NASDAQ: SEED) (the "Company" or "Origin"), a leading Chinese agricultural technology company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Weibin Yan as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Board of Directors, effective immediately. Dr. Gengchen Han, who has served as CEO, will continue as Chairman of the Board.

Mr. Yan brings a wealth of experience and leadership to Origin Agritech, with a distinguished career in the agricultural and industrial sectors. He is currently the Vice-Chairman of the Hunan Provincial Federation of Industry and Commerce. Mr. Yan was one of the principal founders of Ausnutria Dairy Corporation Ltd. ("Ausnutria"), a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, where he served as Chairman from its establishment until September 2023. Under his leadership, Ausnutria became a leading global player in the dairy industry.

Mr. Yan also served as a director of Yuan Longping High-tech Agriculture Co., Ltd. ("Longping High-tech"), listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, from 2004 to January 2016. At Longping High-tech, he held various executive roles, including Chief Executive Officer from 2004 to April 2010 and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors from 2010 to January 2016.

In addition, Mr. Yan has a history with Origin Agritech, having served as an independent director of the Company from 2017 to 2018. His deep understanding of the Company's operations and strategic direction, combined with his vast experience, positions him well to lead Origin Agritech through its next growth phase.

Mr. Yan holds an MBA in Business Administration from Hunan University, where he also earned his Bachelor's degree in Industrial and Foreign Trade.

Dr. Gengchen Han, Chairman of Origin Agritech, commented: "We are delighted to welcome Mr. Weibin Yan as our new CEO and as a member of our Board of Directors. His extensive experience in agriculture and his proven leadership in building and growing successful companies make him the ideal person to lead Origin Agritech into its next phase of growth and innovation. His experience as an independent director furthers his understanding of our mission and strategic goals. I look forward to working closely with him as we continue to advance our mission of providing sustainable agricultural solutions to meet global food security challenges."

Mr. Weibin Yan, CEO of Origin Agritech, stated: "I am honored to rejoin Origin Agritech at such a pivotal time in the company's history. The advancements in GMO technology and gene editing that Origin has achieved are truly impressive, and I am excited to lead the company as we work to commercialize these innovations and expand our impact on global agriculture. I look forward to contributing to the Board and leading the talented team at Origin to push the boundaries of what's possible in crop development and deliver significant value to our shareholders."

About Origin Agritech Limited
Origin Agritech Limited, founded in 1997 and headquartered in Zhong-Guan-Cun (ZGC) Life Science Park 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 a Twitter account for updating investors on Company and industry developments which is https://x.com/origin_agritech.

For more information, please contact:
Origin Agritech Limited Contact:
Kate Lang (Mandarin/English)
Director of Investor Relations
Phone: +86 186-1839-3368
Email: [email protected]  

Investor Relations Contact:
Matthew Abenante, IRC
President
Strategic Investor Relations, LLC
Tel: 347-947-2093
Email: [email protected]