Geneva, Switzerland, May 20th, 2021 -
Firmenich, the world’s largest privately owned fragrance and taste company, appoints Sarah Reisinger as Chief Research Officer, effective July 1, 2021. She will report to the Group CEO, Gilbert Ghostine, as a member of his executive team after most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Research Operations. Dr. Reisinger will succeed Professor Geneviève Berger, who is staying on as a Strategic Advisor to the CEO, before her retirement from the Group on December 31, 2021.
In her new role, Dr. Reisinger will lead Firmenich through new frontiers of scientific excellence, building on the Group’s track record of industry-leading innovation.
“Sarah brings a unique blend of world-class experience in management of Research and Development, both in start-up as well as larger organization structures, with a strong background in biotechnology, augmented discovery and open innovation. I am very proud to welcome her to my executive team,” said Gilbert Ghostine. “Firmenich is shaping the future of fragrance and taste, and this next-generation appointment demonstrates our continued commitment to our customers, providing cutting-edge technology and sustainable solutions that match the fast-evolving needs of consumers.”
“I am excited to have this opportunity to build on our amazing legacy of scientific excellence by leading Research into fast-evolving scientific domains and embracing new technology for our changing world,” said Dr. Reisinger. “Our team’s multidisciplinary and global approach to innovation in perfume, taste and ingredients are immense assets to deliver breakthrough solutions for our clients.”
“I wish to warmly thank Professor Berger for successfully building the multidisciplinary strength of our Research & Development and for championing white biotechnology. Under her leadership, we have broadened our scope of research and reinforced our global footprint in science with new R&D centers, targeted acquisitions, and were the first to market with AI-generated solutions in taste and fragrance,” said Gilbert Ghostine. “I will continue to count on her recognized world-class expertise in science and business over the coming months.”
Dr. Reisinger has an extensive background in biotechnology as well as a strong track record in ingredients and technology development for the consumer goods industry. Prior to joining Firmenich in 2018 as VP Biotechnology and Process Engineering, she held pivotal roles at Ginkgo Bioworks, Intrexon and Amyris, after starting her career in the field of biology and cancer therapeutics. Dr. Reisinger holds a B.S. in Biology from Harvey Mudd College, US, as well as an M.S. in Plant Biology and a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of California, Berkeley.
Firmenich’s industry-leading commitment to research and development is backed by the annual average investment of 10% of its turnover to drive groundbreaking science. The Group’s Research division runs six centers of excellence in Geneva, Switzerland; New York, Princeton, San Diego, USA; Shanghai, China; and Gujarat, India. It also works closely with a network of external partners, including leading academic institutions and cutting-edge start-ups.
