The board of Israel's MA Industries, the world's biggest maker of generic crop protection products, approved on Thursday the appointment of Ami Erel as its chairman, effective Jan. 1.

Erel is president and chief executive of Discount Investment Corp, which holds 63 percent of Koor Industries, MA's major shareholder.

China National Chemical Corp (ChemChina) is seeking to acquire a controlling stake in MA Industries.

Erel will replace Avraham Bigger, MA's chairman for the last four years, who announced his intention of stepping down at the end of 2010. Erel has served as a director of MA since August 2006, when Discount's parent company IDB Holding became the controlling shareholder of the company.

Erel has served as president and CEO of Discount since June 2001. In recent years he has also served as chairman of various holdings in the IDB group, including mobile phone operator Cellcom and Koor.