Givaudan’s CEO Gilles Andrier is to retire in March 2026 after 30 years at the Swiss flavor and fragrance company and 20 years as CEO.
Givaudan has named Christian Stammkoetter as its new CEO, effective March 2026. Stammkoetter is currently President Asia, Middle East & Africa at food group Danone.
Andrier is to be proposed for election as Chairman of Givaudan at the company’s 2026 annual general meeting (AGM) in March next year. Current Chairman Calvin Grieder to step down from the board at the 2026 AGM.
Under Andrier’s leadership, Givaudan saw significant growth and geographic, customer and portfolio expansion, which included more than 20 acquisitions.
Between the end of 2004 and the end of 2024, the company grew from 5,900 to 16,900 employees and sales almost tripled from CHF2.7bn ($3.35bn) to over CHF7.4bn ($9.18bn).
Stammkoetter, a German national, began his career in 1997 at Unilever Germany in Marketing & Sales, later founding and leading the tech startup printium.com, serving as CEO. He then held senior marketing roles at Wella AG and at Procter & Gamble. In 2004, he became Marketing Director Germany at Numico, which was acquired by Danone in 2007.