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Outgoing Symrise chief executive Heinz-Jürgen Bertram is retiring after 21 years with the company, handing over the CEO role to Jean-Yves Parisot. Parisot, who will officially step into the new role on 31 March, joined Symrise in 2014 and has been a member of the executive committee since 2016. He oversees the company’s Taste, Nutrition & Health segment and will continue to do so on an interim basis until a successor has been found. He has been president of the International Organization of the Flavor Industry (IOFI) since 2023. Prior to joining Symrise, he had global leadership roles at Pfizer, Rhone Poulenc/Rhodia, Danisco, Air Liquide and the Diana Group before its merger with Symrise.

Of Bertram’s 21 years of service at Symrise, he has served 19 years as a member of the executive committee and 15 as CEO. In a press statement, he said it had been a privilege to lead the global Symrise team through eventful times. Michael König, chairman of the supervisory board of Symrise, said that Bertram has shaped the company and put the Symrise portfolio on a “broad, resilient footing”. He added: “In addition to ensuring constant organic growth, he has sustainably strengthened the company through strategic acquisitions in important growth areas and has thus ideally positioned Symrise for the future. We are deeply grateful to Heinz-Jürgen Bertram for his achievements”. The supervisory board also renewed Parisot’s contract for another four years until the end of September 2028. König continued: “Symrise will be in the best hands with Jean-Yves Parisot, and a trustful and smooth transition at the top of the company is ensured”.

Commenting on his appointment, Parisot said: “Symrise is built on strong foundations. We are benefitting immensely from that in our current, very demanding business environment.”

“Our entrepreneurial activities will continue to focus on setting the right strategic course at an early stage to ensure profitable growth. I am grateful for the trust that the supervisory board is putting in me, and I am looking forward to the collaboration with the entire executive committee to ensure Symrise remains in pole positions in the years to come – for our clients, our employees, our shareholders, and all our stakeholders worldwide.”