Ashley Kelley

About Ashley Kelley

I lead R&D portfolio strategy and operational infrastructure in global, high-stakes environments where complexity is the norm and disciplined execution is the differentiator.Over 12+ years at Syngenta Seeds, I\'ve built functions from the ground up – portfolio governance, CapEx stewardship, transformation enablement – and delivered results in areas where accountability was previously diffuse. I\'m known for combining strategic thinking with a bias for action: launching portfolio frameworks that reshaped investment prioritization, standing up transformation programs that delivered significant financial impact, and resetting CapEx governance.I\'ve led through periods of significant organizational change, major team turnover, multi-site restructuring, substantial scope expansions, while maintaining operational precision and building new capabilities in parallel. Core expertise spans portfolio strategy and governance (NPV prioritization, capital allocation, resource tradeoffs), operational excellence (CapEx management, process design, business continuity), and transformation leadership (program management, organizational design, scaled change enablement). I\'ve built high-performing teams, earned trust with senior executives across geographies and functions, and delivered in roles that required building infrastructure in high-ambiguity environments.I\'m motivated by problems that require both analytical rigor and practical execution – where getting it right means building something that works, scales, and lasts.

Experience

1. Head of Business Operations and Portfolio, Seeds Research & Development

   Syngenta

   Jan 2025 — Present

   Lead a team of 24 across portfolio strategy, business operations, external collaborations, and competitive intelligence. Govern the global Seeds R&D project portfolio CapEx portfolio.

Education

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  BA, Journalism and Mass Communications

  2003 — 2007

Skills

• Proposal Writing
• Event Management
• Event Planning
• Votebuilder
• Strategy
• Corporate Communications
• Public Speaking
• Blogging
• Market Research
• Management
• Editing
• Research
• Press Releases
• Communications Planning
• Marketing Communications
• Facebook
• Project Management
• Social Media
• Marketing Event Planning
• Public Relations
• Internal Communications
• Media Relations