Pierre Fabre Laboratories Expands Middle East Footprint with New Dubai Hub to Drive Regional Growth

Pierre Fabre Laboratories Group, a prominent dermo-cosmetics and pharmaceutical entity, has signaled its strong commitment to expanding its presence in the Middle East and beyond with the inauguration of a new regional headquarters in Dubai. This strategic move underscores the company's ambitious growth plans for the region.

The company boasts a global portfolio that includes well-known dermo-cosmetic brands such as Avène, Ducray, A-Derma, Klorane, and René Furterer, alongside its comprehensive medical division focused on oncology, dermatology, and rare diseases. Eric Ducournau, CEO of Pierre Fabre Laboratories, officially opened the new facility, located in the Landmark Group building near Dubai Marina. This hub will serve as the central base for the company's Middle East, Africa, Russia, and Turkey (MEART) subsidiary, playing a crucial role in its objective to double sales within six years.

Mr. Ducournau stated that this expansion aligns with Pierre Fabre Laboratories' aggressive growth strategy, which emphasizes the utilization of local expertise. "This investment clearly illustrates our desire to expand in this region, and Dubai is ideal for recruiting international talent from the UAE," he told The National. He further cited the UAE's political stability, its dedication to scientific advancement, and its robust healthcare sector as key factors in selecting Dubai as the regional center.

Pierre Fabre Laboratories intends to continue its research into future medicines and to adapt its existing medical treatments and dermo-cosmetic products to meet regional specificities. The company also aims to establish scientific collaborations with leading healthcare professionals and hospitals across the region. "We work closely with healthcare professionals to understand patients’ needs," Mr. Ducournau explained. "Here, the country invests in its hospital infrastructure, equipment, and training for doctors to treat patients. Our expertise, combined with that of healthcare professionals, will enable us to provide medicines and dermo-cosmetic care tailored to the needs of the local population."

He further elaborated on the importance of scientific partnerships for a pharmaceutical company, stating, "What is important for a pharma company is to develop products, and to develop products you need scientific partnerships. And in this area, countries are really investing; the level of hospitals is very high… the equipment, the training, the presence of highly experienced doctors. The country is investing in good facilities to treat the population…that’s very important because you can’t develop the company more in the field of oncology or dermatology or rare diseases without this footprint in science."

Founded in 1961 by pharmacist Pierre Fabre, the group initially focused on pharmaceuticals before expanding into dermo-cosmetics, with significant investments in research and development, particularly in oncology and dermatology. Following his passing in 2013, Pierre Fabre's majority stake was transferred to the Pierre Fabre Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving access to essential medicines and medical care, especially in Africa and East Asia. The foundation has supported Syrian refugee populations in Lebanon by providing medical assistance.

The company is committed to patient care, employee well-being, and environmental responsibility. Pierre Fabre, who was also a botanist, instilled a deep respect for nature and a commitment to supporting local communities. Pierre Fabre Laboratories actively engages in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and sources many of its active ingredients from plants. The company currently operates directly in 44 countries and markets its products globally. It holds the position of the world's second-largest player in the dermo-cosmetics market and is France's fourth-largest pharmaceutical company, with a substantial existing presence in the Middle East.

"We have grown significantly in Europe in recent years," Mr. Ducournau noted. "Today, we are continuing our development in this region, as well as in China, Asia at large, and the United States. These regions are very important for the medicines of tomorrow." In the Arabian Peninsula, Pierre Fabre Laboratories is recognized for its Avène brand, particularly in sun protection and anti-aging, and for A-Derma in eczema care. Its brands Ducray and René Furterer are leaders in hair and scalp care, addressing issues like dandruff and hair loss.

The company seeks to build long-term relationships with dermatologists and dermatology clinics by demonstrating the efficacy and tolerability of its formulations, supported by clinical trials. Digital technology is also a key investment priority. "We need to develop the online presence of our products and brands," Mr. Ducournau stated. "To do this, we need to recruit talent with real digital and international expertise. Dubai is an international city with a mix of different cultures. This is a real strength when we want to develop our presence across an entire region such as MEART. You have a lot of people not from this area, but living in Dubai. And that creates a sort of international framework, which is very important, because we have a different culture mix here, and you want to reach very different parts of the population."

Pierre Fabre Laboratories aims to increase its revenue from €3.1 billion (Dh13.37 billion) in 2024 to at least €5 billion (Dh21.8 billion) by 2032, maintaining a balanced contribution from its dermo-cosmetics and pharmaceutical divisions. The company is investing heavily in developing advanced treatments for cancer and rare diseases, as well as specialized dermo-cosmetic solutions. "Each region has its own specific characteristics, whether in terms of skin types, lifestyle, or climate," Mr. Ducournau explained. "To establish ourselves, we need to understand these specific characteristics so that we can commercialize products locally that are tailored to them. Patients in Europe or in the Middle East are not the same as those in America or Asia. So we really need to combine global scale and local grasp to do what’s right for patients, consumers and customers everywhere we operate."

While the company is not currently planning to develop new brands locally, Mr. Ducournau acknowledged the future necessity of localized manufacturing. "Today, we are doing 71 per cent of our revenues internationally, but still manufacturing 95 per cent in France. Tomorrow, we will have to manufacture closer to the area where the products are sold and consumed."

Pierre Fabre Laboratories has maintained a presence in the region since the 1980s, and its growth strategy is built upon the strong regional relationships it has cultivated. "I want to emphasize that we found good partners to establish our business here…we believe that this chain of distribution will extend in the region," he said, reinforcing the Dubai hub's significance in the company's broader strategy to expand its global footprint and revenue. Mr. Ducournau concluded, "We took 40 years to establish a certain level of revenue…and we want to double this in only six years. So, that’s the objective of this opening and this presence here."