Twenty years after establishing its first regional presence in Sharjah, Expressions Parfumées has made Dubai a strategic SAMEA hub. In conversation with ParfumPlus, Thierry Fleurichamp, Managing Director of the subsidiary; Murad Shihadeh, SAMEA Sales Director; and Christophe Marin, President of Expressions Parfumées, reflect on its evolution, creativity, investment, client relationships and ambitions for the region. They examine transformation, capabilities, partnerships and opportunities shaping what comes next.
ParfumPlus: How has the Middle Eastern fragrance market transformed
over the past two decades?
Thierry Fleurichamp: The transformation has been profound. Twenty years ago, a small number of local companies dominated, largely serving neighbouring markets. From the early 2010s, new local and regional brands emerged, international fragrance houses increased their investment, and luxury and niche brands increasingly embraced Middle Eastern ingredients and olfactory codes. This brought the region’s fragrance culture to a much wider international audience.
Clients have also become more ambitious, both creatively and geographically. They seek distinctive fragrances with an authentic Middle Eastern identity, often developed with internationally recognised perfumers, while expanding into Europe and the Americas. At the same time, regulatory changes have transformed formulation, making reformulation, technical expertise and close client dialogue increasingly important.
PP: How did Expressions Parfumées respond to these changes?
TF: We invested in people, creative capabilities and technology, opening our local laboratory in 2015, strengthening our creative team and expanding local sales. Joining Givaudan in 2018 was another major milestone. It gave us access to additional technologies, captive molecules and reinforced our credibility with some of the region’s largest clients, while preserving the agility that defines Expressions Parfumées.
PP: What milestones have defined the subsidiary’s evolution?
TF: We began in 2006 with a four-person representative office in Sharjah, followed by a Dubai office in Karama in 2013. In 2015, we established the creation lab, an important step towards greater technical and creative autonomy. In 2024, we moved to larger premises in Deira, with dedicated spaces for perfumers, fragrance development managers, evaluation, fragrance compounding and applications. In 2026, dedicated offices for sales and support teams further strengthened the commercial organisation.
PP: Christophe, how do you see the perfumer’s role within this ecosystem?
Christophe Marin: The perfumer’s role extends far beyond creation in isolation. Perfumers sit at the centre of an ecosystem connecting markets, clients and internal expertise. Direct proximity between perfumer and client builds trust, sharpens the brief and gives creative freedom greater relevance. Creation remains deeply human, rooted in experience, memory and sensitivity, but it is strengthened by evaluation, marketing, sensory analysis, research and innovation.
PP: Murad, what has nearly 30 years in the fragrance industry taught you?
Murad Shihadeh: I have spent almost 30 years in Middle Eastern fragrance, across sales, business development and customer relationships, evolving into broader commercial strategy and sales leadership. One lesson has remained constant: this is fundamentally a people business.
Products and trends change, but trust, strong relationships and a deep understanding of the client remain essential. Expressions Parfumées attracted me through its combination of French fragrance expertise, creativity and entrepreneurial agility. The trust and autonomy given by management allow us to make informed decisions based on regional knowledge and take genuine ownership of the business.
PP: How do you view the Middle Eastern market today, and what are clients demanding?
MS: It is one of the world’s most dynamic and sophisticated fragrance markets, with deeply embedded fragrance culture and highly knowledgeable, demanding consumers. Local and regional brands have become increasingly professional, creative and ambitious, with many pursuing international growth. The region is no longer simply absorbing global trends; its concepts, olfactory signatures and successful brands are influencing international perfumery.
Clients expect much more than fragrance submissions. They want a partner who understands their brand, consumers, competitors and positioning. Creativity must be matched by responsiveness, flexibility, quality, performance and commercial understanding. The market moves quickly, and demand for differentiation continues to rise. Clients want a distinctive identity and a signature of their own.
PP: Which trends and opportunities are shaping the next phase?
MS: Demand remains strong for powerful, long-lasting fragrances. Oud, amber, musk, woods, leather and saffron remain important, but their interpretation is becoming more modern and sophisticated. Traditional Middle Eastern olfactory culture is increasingly interacting with contemporary international influences. Niche and premium local brands are also growing, while younger, globally connected consumers are making the market more creative and demanding. Quality alone is no longer enough; a fragrance must be memorable. Client proximity will remain a major growth lever. We are strengthening the team, deepening relationships with strategic clients and identifying emerging brands and new opportunities. Sales, evaluation, marketing and perfumery must work as one, connecting creative and technical expertise with local market intelligence.
PP: How are you building the team across such a diverse SAMEA territory?
MS: We are building a stronger, more complementary team, with each person bringing specific market experience, client relationships, category knowledge or cultural and commercial perspective. SAMEA is vast, and Saudi Arabia, the UAE, India and Pakistan do not operate in the same way. The objective is to combine local knowledge with Expressions Parfumées’ international expertise so clients benefit from the collective capabilities of the organisation.
Local distributors will also remain important in reaching national and regional clients and developing the right approach for different market segments.
PP: How does Dubai fit into Expressions Parfumées’ long-term global vision?
CM: Our direction is clear: continue investing in creation, strengthen our ability to deliver distinctive signatures, develop innovations that genuinely enhance fragrance and remain as close as possible to our markets. The industry is moving faster, development cycles are shorter and brands need to stand out in an increasingly segmented landscape. Our responsibility is to combine speed with precision, innovation with sensitivity, and growth with high creative and technical standards. Dubai will continue to play an important role in that global balance.
PP: What message would you share with ParfumPlus readers on the 20th anniversary?
TF: This anniversary belongs to everyone who contributed to the journey—our teams, clients, partners and colleagues across Expressions Parfumées. We thank them for their trust, ambition and the projects we have built together. Twenty years is an important milestone, but it also gives us confidence and energy for what comes next.
MS: Our commitment is to remain close to our clients, understand where their brands and markets are heading, and bring them creative, relevant and distinctive solutions. We look forward to building the next chapter through the same values that shaped the first 20 years: trust, partnership, local knowledge and a shared passion for fragrance.
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