The Swiss multinational Galderma is strengthening its presence in Barcelona. The company, dedicated to premium injectable aesthetics, dermo-cosmetics, and therapeutic dermatology products, located its first global training center in the city at the beginning of 2023. Immersed in an ambitious growth phase, the pharmaceutical company has established itself in the Catalan capital to support global teams in areas such as research and development (R&D), commercial, finance, human resources, ICT, legal, and supply chain, with the aim of executing its international expansion plans.
They started with a very small workforce in Barcelona, of only four employees, and by the end of their first year in the city, they had reached 70. A year and a half later, the team already stands at over 110 employees, with the forecast to grow to 150 by December. Currently, half of the staff are local, with the presence of workers from 22 countries making up the other half.
Now settled in Barcelona, the pharmaceutical company, owner of brands such as Cetaphil and Epiduo, has just inaugurated its new offices. They are located in the building that Colonial owns at number 532 of Avenida Diagonal, where it occupies 1,500 square meters spread over two floors. The investment to launch the new center has not been disclosed.
"This is a giant milestone for us," remarked Galderma's CEO, Flemming Ørnskov, accompanied by the head of the center, Raphael Camargo. Barcelona was chosen among four other European cities, according to Ørnskov, who approached local companies like Puig or multinationals that have opened global centers here like AstraZeneca. According to Acció, which advised the pharmaceutical company on its landing, there are more than 9,200 multinationals in Catalonia.
In favor of Barcelona, played, above all, the availability of talent and high-level educational centers, but also the climate and its beaches, Ørnskov acknowledged, without ceasing to make constant mentions of the different football teams in the area. These were important factors for hiring new employees, but also for relocating current staff to an attractive place. "This is a strategic location. Not only has it been the right decision, but it has been the best," he defended.
Founded in 1981, Galderma was created as a joint venture between L'Oréal and Nestlé. In 2014, when Nestlé Skin Health was born, the company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nestlé. Five years later, it was acquired by a consortium of institutional investors led by the Swedish fund EQT. Since last March, the pharmaceutical company has been listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange in Switzerland.
Headquartered in Zug, the multinational has a workforce of more than 6,500 professionals. It is present in 100 countries, with factories in Canada, Sweden, France, and Brazil, from where more than 300 million units are produced annually. Galderma's CEO does not rule out opening production centers in Spain, where it also has offices in Madrid, with a hundred employees. In India, they have a global center focused on financial and human resources functions. Its portfolio of lines includes brands such as Differin, Epiduo, Loceryl, Sculptra, and Restylane. They treat diseases such as acne, rosacea, and keratosis.