The go-to partner in customers’ hearts

Cossma: You have been with DSM for many years, can you please tell us what brought you to the cosmetics side of the business?

Gareth Barker, President DSM Personal Care & Aroma Ingredients: I joined DSM in 1993 and worked all over the world in various commercial and marketing roles, some in the front line and some more strategic. Having built up extensive experience and understanding of global markets within the health and nutrition sector, I wanted to broaden my expertise in a different industry. The role of President of DSM Personal Care & Aroma Ingredients, which I took up at the start of this year, has presented the perfect opportunity. Not only does it introduce me to new market dynamics and products, but I can also share my experience from human nutrition. 

What have you focused on first in your new position?

I’ve certainly had to learn quickly! My priorities have been getting to know our teams, our customers, our products, and the business landscape so I’ve spent considerable time visiting our regional divisions around the globe, and at our headquarters. Now that I have a good overview of the dynamics at play and current market trends I can see lots of potential for growth. So my next task is to develop strategies to capitalise on these opportunities. 

DSM Personal Care and Aroma achieved its best results ever in 2017. What would you say contributed to this success?

In a nutshell, I’d say that our key growth drivers last year were an optimised supply chain, an enhanced product portfolio, accelerated innovation and stronger customer relationships. 

Thanks to a new partnership, we’ve been able to make the supply chain for our UV filters more competitive, deliver two new filters and improve our ability to expand our market share. We now have the world’s largest portfolio of UV filters and offer the broadest range of protection across UVB, UVA and blue light. We have also continued expansion into make-up and body care with new sensory modifiers and performance ingredients, and have added to our range of vitamins, bioactives, peptides and polymers for skin care.

We have placed the customer at the centre of everything we do so that we are much more able to respond to his or her needs. This means delivering the products they want, of course, but also providing transparent scientific information, or tools to make their lives that bit easier. Take our Sunscreen Optimizer for example. This free online tool has been created to help customers develop and fine-tune sunscreen formulations before moving on to the costly, time-consuming SPF testing process.

The Optimizer isn’t the only innovation to have boosted performance in our sun care segment though. We have also been raising awareness around the issue of blue light from both the sun and electronic devices. Our new UV filters, Parsol Max and Parsol Shield, make us the first company to offer solutions that protect skin against oxidative stress from blue light. 

There have been some exciting developments in skin care too. Beauactive is a new, dual action ingredient that reduces the appearance of both conspicuous pores and age spots. As well as addressing an unmet consumer skin care need, it is manufactured using green technology, so is also good example of innovating for the naturals trend.

Looking ahead what growth strategies are you going to pursue?

DSM plans its overall strategy in three-yearly cycles. The 2015–2018 period has been very successful and in June this year the company issued its strategic update entitled Growth & Value – Purpose led, Performance driven. 

Our business unit has revised its own strategy in line with this update and set distinct goals for each segment within the unit. We are very pleased with how we have delivered on products and our overriding ambition now is to become the No.1 partner in our customers’ hearts. There are three areas where we can develop, namely segment strategy, innovation, and partnerships. We can drive growth in these areas by leveraging our business and operational excellence, through the services we offer customers and through sustainability.