Exclusive Interview with Symrise CEO Dr. Jean-Yves Parisot

In April 2024, Dr. Jean-Yves Parisot was appointed CEO of Symrise where he had been a member of the Executive Board since 2016, being responsible for the Taste, Nutrition & Health segment. He took over as CEO from Dr Heinz-Jürgen Bertram, who retired.

Symrise recently reported their Q1 results. Corporate organic growth was 4.2% with sales rising to €1,317 Million vs €1,292 Million 2024.

In his report, Parisot noted, “We again delivered profitable growth despite continued macroeconomic uncertainty. The Group’s performance is underpinned by our diversified portfolio and unique global platform. We are capturing growth and enhancing margin quality through focused execution of the ONE Symrise strategy, continuous investments in innovation and stronger alignment across our businesses. We remain confident in our outlook for the current year, and in our ability to deliver profitable above-market growth through 2028. Symrise is well positioned to create sustainable long-term value for our customers, partners and shareholders.”

George Ledes had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Parisot this week to hear his thoughts on how things are going at Symrise, his vision for its future and how he plans to “Unleash the full beauty of ONE Symrise”.

WHAT DO YOU SEE THAT SETS SYMRISE APART FROM THE OTHER FRAGRANCE HOUSES?

First of all, it’s Symrise’s pioneering and innovative spirit that opens up new possibilities in perfumery. It’s in our DNA as we started with our founding act of the first synthesis of Vanillin in 1874. This of course is coupled with our acquisition of the first company to produce and sell “naturals” globally – namely Lautier, 1795, acquired in 1995 – and the company that invented fragrance bases – DeLaire, 1876, also acquired in 1995. We feel our role is to open up new possibilities in perfumery.

We were also the first fragrance house to come out with an AI powered fragrance through “Philyra“.
The understanding we have of synthesis and natural extraction, which puts us in a position to develop unique fragrance ingredients with a focus on renewable and biodegradable.

Symrise also innovates the ecosystem. We imagine connections others don’t see. For instance, SymTrap®, the first ever vegetable and fruit extraction technology. An exclusive cold process methodology that captures the top volatile notes, from fresh, crushed, vegetal materials. The result of synergy between Symrise Fine Fragrance and Diana Food are innovative fragrances being created.

And are also leader in Sustainability, driving the market in terms of backward integration, by securing key raw material and ensuring renewable processes, and innovation.

Again, it’s in our DNA. The first molecule we created was upcycled from pine coniferin. And just last year, we launched Holzminden Lab, our brand dedicated to designing molecules with a critical focus on renewability, biodegradability, and upcycling. For example, one of our molecules, Frostwood TM, which is the backwards integrated side stream from our aroma molecules production in Jacksonville, is 100% renewable, 100% biodegradable, 100% upcycled.

On the naturals side, we are best in class in backward integration. Our vanilla program in Madagascar supports more than 7,000 farmers and families, protects the environment, and secures high-quality vanilla by employing best agricultural practices.

Furthermore, we were the first leading flavors and fragrance house to join UEBT and the First and Only Fragrance House Certified by Forest Stewardship Council®.

IS THERE A MESSAGE/IMPRESSION YOU WANT YOUR TEAM TO CONVEY TO YOUR CUSTOMERS?  WHAT PERCEPTION DO YOU WANT YOUR CUSTOMERS TO HAVE AFTER A SYMRISE PRESENTATION?

We would like Symrise to be known as the strategic partner that shakes up the status quo. We are moved by an iconoclastic spirit and here to bring a different point of view to our clients, to open-up new possibilities – from the way we source ingredients, to the way we understand the market and the consumers, to the way we create fragrance. We are an open Symrise-innovation-eco-system, bridging the gap between different people, disciplines and ideas to move the market forward.

We want to leave our clients saying: Symrise brings an alternative point of view, they create unprecedented synergies that will help us stand apart in the market.

WHAT KEY CHALLENGES DO YOU SEE FOR THE FRAGRANCE INDUSTRY IN GENERAL AND SYMRISE IN PARTICULAR IN THE COMING YEARS?

We must stay ahead of the regulatory changes and continue to anticipate these changes and challenges that affect all of us. For sustainability, we need to go further into backward integration into the supply chain, innovating at every step of the value chain. We must also defend our creations against copy infringement, for protecting the value we create for our customers.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON AI IN THE WORK PLACE?

We always embraced AI as a way to fluidity, optimizing and amplifying the work we’re doing.

We were pioneers in how we thought of AI, not as a threat to creation, but as an apprentice to our perfumers – or an extension of our perfumers’ minds! It’s very exciting. And Philyra, our creation tool using generative AI is really meant to be a creative partner for our perfumers. It doesn’t create per se, but it plays a part in the creative process. We built Philyra with IBM and we now have an integrated AI team working to build Scenturion, our new AI tool predicting consumer test results based on formulas and helping perfumers create winning fragrances for the benefit of our customers.

What do you consider the most important component of a successful Fragrance House?

The people. The Culture. Everything that we do at Symrise is to inspire, ignite, and help the creators. 


I have seen a lot about the continued growth of naturals. Do you agree?

Since the relaunch of Lautier, we are committed to an ambitious plan to grow a unique Natural offer on the market which would include our industry-leading backward integration in Madagascar; expanding our facility in Grasse and growing our positive impact in the region; reinforcing the partnership between our Holzminden Lab scientific approach and the naturals; developing new ingredients like the  first ever patchouli in Madagascar; and growing our Human Rights aspects as an integrated program wherever we source naturals.