Givaudan announces succession plans for Chairman and CEO

At the Annual Shareholders Meeting 2004, Chairman Dr Henri B. Meier announced his plans to retire from the Board at the next General Assembly of April 27, 2005. In line with its long term succession planning, Givaudan’s Board of Directors has decided to elect Dr Juerg Witmer, the current Chief Executive Officer as the new Chairman of the Board, effective April 27, 2005. Mr. Gilles Andrier, currently Head of Givaudan’s global Fine Fragrance Business will succeed Dr Witmer as Chief Executive Officer in Vernier (Switzerland).

A French national, Mr Andrier was born in Paris in 1961 and graduated from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Ingénieurs de Toulouse. After eight years in a management consulting company, he joined Givaudan in 1993 as controller of the Fragrance Division. In this capacity he played an important role in the seamless integration of Givaudan and Roure. In 1997 he was appointed head of Givaudan’s North American Fragrance operations. He successfully led the North American fragrance site consolidation which included the closure of the chemical site in Clifton and the building of the new compounding site in Mt. Olive, New Jersey.

In 2000 he returned to Paris as General Manager of Givaudan’s French affiliates and Head of the European Fragrance Consumer Products Business Unit in Argenteuil. In October 2001, he assumed the responsibility for the new Fine Fragrance creation center in Paris and was subsequently promoted to lead Givaudan’s global Fine Fragrance business. In the course of his career Mr. Andrier built a variety of competencies through a broad range of assignments acquainting him with the various aspects of the Flavour and Fragrance industry.

In order to ensure continuity Dr Juerg Witmer will advise and support his successor in the period leading up to the AGM 2006.

For further information please contact
Peter Wullschleger, Givaudan Media Relations
T +41 22 780 9093
E peter_b.wullschleger@givaudan.com