Edward Breen tapped for top job at DuPont

The appointment of Breen increases the probability that the DuPont and Dow businesses will merge, Jonas Oxgaard, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co.in New York, said Monday in a note.

Breen, 59, was named as an interim leader of the Wilmington chemical company after the sudden retirement of 59-year-old Ellen Kullman on October 16.

Roughly a month after DuPont named Edward D. Breen the interim CEO, the company has removed the temporary tag from his title and made his position permanent.

Under Kullman, DuPont successfully fended off an attempt by Peltz’s Trian Fund Management to land board seats this year.

“Ed Breen brings to DuPont an exceptional track record of business leadership and value creation”. He was CEO of Tyco global from 2002 to 2012, and… Prior to serving as CEO of Tyco, he held executive positions at Motorola and the General Instrument Corp.

The choice of CEO marks the first time in its history that DuPont will be led by someone who doesn’t have a long tenure at the company and who isn’t a member of the DuPont family. He becomes the 20th executive in the history of the company, founded in 1802.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that DuPont was in talks with Syngenta AG for a potential combination for its agriculture division and is also discussing a deal with Dow Chemical Co DOW.N , which is exploring a sale of its seed and pesticide unit.

The company said it may cut jobs as it combines the business, but it’s too early to know how many.