ZURICH (Reuters) - Syngenta (SYNN.VX), which has rebuffed a $45 billion takeover proposal from rival Monsanto(MON.N), has support from key sharholders for a stand-alone strategy and does not need a strategic partner, its chief executive said.
"We did talk to quite a few more than our top five shareholders, some of which are also shareholders of Monsanto... They are absolutely supportive of what we are embarking on here," CEO Michael Mack told Reuters on Thursday.
He also said there was no need for the Swiss crop chemicals maker to seek any other strategic partner as an alternative to the tie-up Monsanto proposes.
"I completely reject any suggestion that the company is incomplete in any way. Syngenta is not the one with the problem, Monsanto is the one with the problem that it is trying to solve on the back of our crop protection products."
Syngenta, the world's biggest pesticides maker, posted better-than-expected earnings for the first half earlier on Thursday, helped by price increases.
(Reporting by Ludwig Burger)