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Pierre Fabre Laboratories' new Dubai hub highlights bold plans for regional growth. Founded in 1961, the group expanded from its initial activities in the field of pharmaceuticals. The National October 15, 2026 Dermo-cosmetics and pharmaceutical giant Pierre Fabre Laboratories Group has underlined its ambitions for growth in the Middle East and beyond with the opening of a new regional hub in Dubai. The company is a global player with its dermo-cosmetics brands Avène, Ducray, A-Derma, Klorane, and René Furterer, as well as its entire medical division specialising in oncology, dermatology, and rare diseases. Eric Ducournau, chief executive of Pierre Fabre Laboratories, officially inaugurated the new premises in the Landmark Group building near Dubai Marina. It is the headquarters of the French company's Middle East, Africa, Russia, Turkey (MEART) subsidiary and will play a central role in its strategy to double its sales in six years. Ducournau said the move confirmed Pierre Fabre Laboratories' bold expansion route, which also involves leveraging 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. Ducournau also said the country's political stability, its investment in science, and its strong commitment to health care were the main reasons for choosing Dubai as the regional centre. Pierre Fabre Laboratories aims to continue its research into "the medicines of the future" while potentially adapting existing medical treatments and dermo-cosmetic products to regional needs. "We work closely with healthcare professionals to understand patients' needs," Ducournau said. "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." Ducournau said: "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." A proud history Founded in 1961 by pharmacist Pierre Fabre, the group expanded from its initial activities in the field of pharmaceuticals to include dermo-cosmetics, investing heavily in research and development - as it continues to do today - particularly in the fields of oncology and dermatology. Upon his death in 2013, Pierre Fabre finalised the donation of his majority stake to the Pierre Fabre Foundation, which he had created. The foundation, recognised by the French government, works to improve access to essential medicines and doctors, particularly in Africa and East Asia. In Lebanon, for example, it has helped Syrian refugee populations in camps by providing them with care. Ducournau said the company is fully committed to caring for patients and its employees, as well as for the environment. Also a botanist by training, Fabre had a strong desire to respect nature, minimise his footprint, and support local communities. Pierre Fabre Laboratories invests in CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives and sources many of its active ingredients from plants. Today, the company operates directly in 44 countries and markets its products in all geographies. It is the world's second-largest player in the dermo-cosmetics market and France's fourth-largest pharmaceutical company, with an already significant presence in the Middle East. "We have grown significantly in Europe in recent years," explained Ducournau. "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 renowned for its Avène brand - in sun protection and anti-ageing care - and for A-Derma in eczema care. The same is true for Ducray and René Furterer in the field of hair and scalp care, dandruff and hair loss, where the brands rank first in sales. Pierre Fabre Laboratories said it wants to forge scientific partnerships with key healthcare professionals and hospitals in the region to understand the needs of patients here and offer dermo-cosmetic care addressing their specific skin issues. It is also committed to supporting research in oncology and dermatology and wants to support clinical programmes in these areas with innovative partners. "To establish our brands, we seek to build long-term relationships with dermatologists and dermatology clinics, in particular by showing them how these formulas are formulated to be highly tolerable and clinically proven through clinical trials," said Ducournau. He also confirmed digital technology as another priority area for investment. "We need to develop the online presence of our products and brands," Ducournau continued. "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." The chief executive said Pierre Fabre Laboratories plans to raise its revenue from €3.1 billion (Dh13.37 billion) in 2024 to a minimum of €5 billion (Dh21.8 billion) by 2032, ensuring a balanced split between its dermo-cosmetics and pharmaceutical activities. The company is investing heavily in developing new, increasingly targeted treatments for patients with cancer or rare diseases requiring targeted therapy. The same applies to dermo-cosmetic care. Ducournau said: "Each region has its own specific characteristics, whether in terms of skin types, lifestyle, or climate. "To establish ourselves, we need to understand these specific characteristics so that we can commercialise 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 Ducournau has ruled out developing new brands locally for now, the Pierre Fabre Laboratories boss acknowledged need for localised manufacturing in the future. "Today, we are doing 71 per cent of our revenues internationally, but still manufacturing 95 per cent in France," he said. "Tomorrow, we will have to manufacture closer to the area where the products are sold and consumed." Ducournau highlighted that Pierre Fabre Laboratories has been present in this region since the 1980s, and its growth trajectory will continue to be deployed on the basis of the strong regional ties it has built. "I want to emphasise that we found good partners to establish our business here...we believe that this chain of distribution will extend in the region," he said, re-confirming the Dubai hub's role as part of the broader strategy to dramatically increase global footprint and revenues. Ducournau added: "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." This page was produced by The National in partnership with Pierre Fabre Laboratories. Updated: October 15, 2026, 4:35 AM

Laboratoires Pierre Fabre appoints Nicolas Zombré CEO of U.S. Dermocosmetics business, signaling next phase of growth. Aug 25, 2026, 13:19 ET SECAUCUS, N.J., Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Laboratoires Pierre Fabre, the world's second-largest dermo-cosmetics company and one of Europe's leading pharmaceutical groups, announced today the appointment of Nicolas Zombré as Chief Executive Officer of its U.S. Dermocosmetics operations. In this role, Zombré will oversee the company's U.S. dermocosmetics business across its portfolio of brands, including Avène, René Furterer and Klorane, as Pierre Fabre continues to build momentum in the U.S. market. This appointment reflects Pierre Fabre's continued investment in expanding its U.S. footprint across retail, medical and digital channels. Avène has emerged as one of the fastest-growing dermocosmetics brands in the U.S., delivering double-digit year-over-year growth and building strong retail momentum with leading partners including Amazon, CVS, Target, Ulta, Walgreens and, most recently, Walmart. This growth has been fueled by continued consumer demand for effective, scientifically proven skincare across Avène's core categories, with Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream delivering standout growth of +32%. Retinal 0.1 Intensive Multi-Corrective Cream, Tolerance Control Skin Recovery Cream, and the new Tolerance Facial Foaming Cleanser have also contributed to the brand's continued growth. Zombré will bring his global leadership experience and omnichannel expertise to further scale the business. Zombré brings nearly two decades of leadership experience within Pierre Fabre. He began his career at Pierre Fabre Dermo-Cosmétique in France in 2006 as a Product Manager for Galénic and Klorane, later taking on trade marketing responsibilities for major pharmacy accounts in France. In 2013, he moved to Brazil to lead National Sales and Trade Marketing and was subsequently promoted to Commercial Director, expanding his international go-to-market experience across diverse business models. From 2018 to 2020, Zombré served as General Manager of Pierre Fabre Dermocosmétique in Chile, where he focused the affiliate's strategy on consumer centricity and digitalization. In June 2020, he was appointed General Manager of Pierre Fabre's dermocosmetics division in Spain and later assumed leadership of Pierre Fabre Pharma Spain, overseeing brands including A-Derma, Ducray, Eau Thermale Avène, Klorane and René Furterer. Most recently, he served as General Director of Pierre Fabre in Spain, leading the affiliate's transformation across omnichannel strategy, retail excellence and value-added services for pharmacy, e-retail and physician partners. "Nicolas has a proven track record of driving transformation across some of our most dynamic markets, and he joins at a pivotal moment for Pierre Fabre in the U.S.," said Eric Ducournau, CEO of Laboratoires Pierre Fabre. "His experience leading digital and omnichannel strategy abroad gives him exactly the expertise we need to accelerate our growth and strengthen our position as a leader in dermocosmetics." "I'm honored to take on this role at such an exciting moment for Pierre Fabre in the U.S.," said Nicolas Zombré, CEO of Laboratoires Pierre Fabre U.S. "Our brands have built deep trust with consumers and healthcare professionals, and I see tremendous opportunity to build on that foundation by strengthening those relationships, expanding our presence across retail and digital channels, and continuing to lead with the science and credibility our portfolio is known for. I look forward to working with the U.S. leadership to write this next chapter." Zombré's appointment marks the next step in Pierre Fabre's long-term strategy to strengthen its presence in the U.S. market, one of the company's key growth priorities globally. Note: High-resolution images, interviews, and product samples are available upon request. ABOUT LABORATOIRES PIERRE FABRE Laboratoires Pierre Fabre is the world's second-largest dermo-cosmetics company and one of Europe's leading pharmaceutical laboratories. Its Dermo-cosmetics & Personal Care portfolio brings together major international brands such as Eau Thermale Avène, Dexeryl, Ducray, Klorane, A-Derma, René Furterer, Même Cosmetics, Darrow, and Elgydium. The Pharma activity covers 5 main therapeutic fields: oncology, dermatology, rare diseases, primary care and family health care. In 2025, Laboratoires Pierre Fabre generated €3.2 billion euros in revenue, 71% of which came from international sales across 130 territories. Based in southwest France since its creation and manufacturing nearly 90% of its products in France, Laboratoires Pierre Fabre employs 10,000 people worldwide. R&D investments increased by 14% compared with the previous year, reaching €250 million, 67% of which is dedicated to targeted therapies in oncology. The majority shareholder of Laboratoires Pierre Fabre is the Pierre Fabre Foundation (holding 86.3% of the capital), a humanitarian foundation recognized as being of public utility. The company's employees are its second-largest shareholder (nearly 10%). This shareholding structure guarantees the company's independence, its long-term vision and its sustainable contribution to the common good. Dividends paid to the Pierre Fabre Foundation contribute to 35 healthcare-access programs deployed in 22 of the least developed countries in the world. Since 2023, Laboratoires Pierre Fabre' CSR policy has been assessed by AFNOR Certification and has been awarded the "Exemplary" level of its CSR label (ISO 26 000 standard for sustainable development). For more information, visit www.pierre-fabre.com SOURCE Laboratoires Pierre Fabre