With more than 30 years of leadership experience in the agricultural industry, Casanello is a seasoned executive who has continuously shown remarkable strategic insight and a drive to add value for farmers. He was previously the CEO of Arysta Life Science Inc., a multinational supplier of life science and crop protection products. In addition, he held the position of Chief Operating Officer of the global agrochemical firm UPL Ltd. He also worked for more than two decades at BASF, managing business units on four continents. Most recently, he served as the CEO and managing partner of Vidavo Ventures, a venture capital company that makes investments to promote rural prosperity.
Casanello expressed his excitement and gratitude at being able to contribute to the highly skilled FBN team and strengthen the organization’s outstanding foundation. For tens of thousands of farmers, FBN has grown to be an essential partner. It demonstrates how innovations in banking, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence can provide significant benefits for farmers. There is a huge chance to improve farming and farmers’ livelihoods. Leading the charge in this change is FBN. Together, we’ll keep pushing the envelope and giving farmers the tools they need to succeed even more.
Alan Willits, Chair of the Board of Directors, stated, “After a thorough search, the board is delighted to have found a leader as exceptionally well-suited to advance our long-term strategy and accelerate growth as Diego.” He has demonstrated great leadership in fintech, entrepreneurial, agribusiness, and crop protection settings. This, along with his background working for both foreign and public companies, puts him in a strong position to successfully lead FBN going forward.
Charles Baron, Co-Founder & Chief Product and Marketing Officer, stated that Diego is incredibly well-suited to head FBN and further our goal of putting Farmers First. We’re excited about Diego’s arrival and his ability to spark the next phase of FBN’s expansion, bringing wealth to rural communities and family farms while also elevating the organization as a great place to work.
The announcements of FBN’s growing range of crop protection products for Canada, its 2024 Regenerative Ag Finance initiative, and its developing sustainability programs for farmers preceded Casanello’s appointment.
Together with other CEOs and business leaders, Casanello co-founded Vidavo Ventures, a venture capital firm where he has held the position of managing partner. Before taking on this role, he was the CEO of Arysta Life Science Inc., a pioneer in the use of natural alternatives to conventional agrochemicals and a global leader in agricultural inputs. As Group COO, he effectively oversaw the combined firm after leading the company’s 2018 sale to UPL Ltd., which created one of the biggest agro-solutions companies in the world. Diego headed business units on four continents for the multinational agrochemicals producer BASF for more than 20 years prior to his employment at Arysta and UPL. Diego has accumulated a wealth of international M&A experience managing corporate and private equity deals over his career.
Diego, who was born in Argentina, has lived in Asia, South America, North America, and Europe. He has interacted with farmers in a wide range of social and economic contexts. Diego has seen directly how data-science innovation can improve farming practices and make a positive impact on farmers’ livelihoods by increasing farm production, profitability, and sustainability.
Diego lives in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina with his spouse and kids. He graduated from the University of Hagen in Germany with a degree in business administration.
The goal of Farmers Business Network, Inc. (FBN®), an independent AgTech platform and farmer-to-farmer network, is to support family farmers’ global prosperity while advancing sustainability. With the shared objective of assisting farmers in maximizing their farm’s economic potential through data- and technology-enabled direct-to-farmer commerce, community, and sustainability solutions, the network has drawn over 65,000 members thanks to its Farmers First® guarantee.
By assisting in lowering production costs and maximizing crop value, FBN aims to redefine value and convenience for farmers. The company, which combines the finest of Silicon Valley technology and Midwestern agricultural origins, has major offices in San Carlos, California, and Chicago, Illinois. It also employs remote workers and field workers across the US and Canada, as well as a sizable warehouse and logistics department.
