The Swiss fragrance and flavor giant, Givaudan, has announced a major change in its management team and has presented its ambitious strategic plan for the period 2026-2030.
Leadership Transition
Gilles Andrier, who has been at the helm of the company since 2005, will retire as CEO on March 1, 2026, after nearly thirty years with the company. His successor will be Christian Stammkoetter, currently President of Danone for Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Likewise, the current Chairman of the Board of Directors, Calvin Grieder, will also step down in 2026, and Andrier will be proposed as his successor as Chairman.
2030 Strategy: Implementing Sustainable Growth
Givaudan has defined its objectives for 2030 with a strategy focused on sustainable growth and solid profitability:
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Average annual like-for-like growth of 4% to 6%.
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Free cash flow exceeding 12%.
These objectives represent an increase compared to the 2025 targets (4-5% organic growth and 12% free cash flow), which are also expected to be exceeded.
Growth Engines and Strategic Levers
The company relies on three growth drivers, which are complemented by three key enablers:
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Expand customer reach both locally and globally.
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Deepen its geographic presence, especially in high-growth markets.
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Expand categories and portfolio, including biotechnology beauty solutions, complete cosmetics, and wellbeing products (functional foods, pet ingredients, women's health, etc.).
Growth Enablers:
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Differentiated innovation with an annual investment of approximately 8% of revenue, biotechnology, green chemistry, AI, and sustainable solutions.
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Operational excellence and agility, through digitization, resilient supply chains, and rapid market entry.
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Care for people, nature, and communities, reinforcing inclusion, safety culture, sustainability, and social responsibility throughout the value chain.
In the first half of 2025, Givaudan recorded sales of 3.99 billion euros, an increase of 3.4%, or 6.3% in comparables, driven especially by the fine perfumery division, which grew by 18%. The strategy also aligns with the increasing demands for natural products, label cleanups, wellness, and transparency from consumers. In addition, Givaudan has already made progress on environmental issues: in 2024, it obtained 94% of its electricity from renewable sources, has reduced its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 43%, and has committed to being climate positive before 2050.
According to specialized analysts, after evaluating the plan from an ESG perspective, it is highlighted that the strategy reflects a commitment to clean biotechnology innovation, with products such as RetiLife™, while Stammkoetter's experience at Danone would bring agility and a consumer-centric focus.
Other analysts warn of potential challenges such as pressure on raw material costs, complexity in the global supply chain, and the need to maintain investment in R&D (around 8%) and high margins in a challenging economic context.