N°64 - Entreprises / Pionnier Fermentalg has a clear The company, a technological platform dedicated to microalgae, aims to define itself through what it already proposes but also through what it willproduce tomorrow on a large scale: microalgae extracts (DHA, phycocyanins to name only a few) designed to provide a new health dimension to the companies in the nutraceutical and agri-food sector. A strategic shift that Philippe Lavielle, CEO of the company, has driven for less than two years he is working in. Philippe Actif’s Magazine: mercial company: anticipate ducts DHA Origins 550-O Lavielle, a You have been CEO of and meet its clients’ needs (natural astaxanthin, lutein career in the Fermentalg since 2016. (in our case, the companies and beta-carotene content) biotech industry What is it that drove you in the agri-food sector) and and 550-Y (no colouring towards this company? to create value both for them effect). And fi nally they have And what strategies and the company. a sure natural health value. have you implemented in DHA, of course, which is order to boost it again? Actif’s Magazine: recommended for consump- Precisely, what are these tion because of growth and 170 Philippe Lavielle: needs, in your opinion? well-being reasons. But also It is the people who make the antioxidants associated up this company that are Philippe Lavielle: with it. its driving force. Its 60 The agri-food industry is We are also developing A graduate of HEC, employees perfectly master experiencing a major struc- a phycocyanin, a natural Philippe Lavielle the universe of microalgae, tural change that relies on colouring that can be used has built his entire the production, extraction three vectors: more respect as a substitute for Brilliant professional career in the biotech industry and purification technolo- for the environment, impro- Blue (Editor’s note: E 313) mainly in Genencor gies. They also know their vement of health with the and has a high antioxidant International (now DuPont Industrial markets. My role is to make diet, more naturalness of the power. Even if its health Biosciences), in whichsure that all these talents food ingredients. Microalgae benefits are still to define, he was belonging to work perfectly together. To allow producing ingredients such an active ingredient the top management as Executive Vice this end, I use my thirty years that “tick” the three boxes. is part of the breakthrough President from 2006 of experience in the biotech Because the molecules they subjects that we intend to to 2011. Between 2011 and 2014, he is sector and the following, in produce are natural - the put on the market in the president and CEO of particular: “falling in love” algal DHA we extract from coming months. the Californian bio- refi nery Virdia, fi nanced witha single techologyn Schizotrychium microalgae by US funds and since is asure way to ruin one’s does not undergo any che- Actif’s Magazine: then bought by the pany. Biotechnlogy is mical or physical concen- How do you want European group Stora com o Enso. He then worked developing all the time. The tration process. Because to explore these as a director in several acquisition of knowledge they allow to limit the envi- breakthrough US companies, before subjects, precisely? becoming CEO of leads to a technological ronmental damage related Fermentalg in November bubble that can reachastf to the overexploitation of 2016. Most recently, he itslimits. As if weconsider the halieutic resources - our Philippe Lavielle: accepted the mandate of Chairman of the only the technologial side,c DHA range is now available By relying on our high poten- Board of Directors of we cannot possibly know in a highly concentrated tial for innovation. When I TargEDys, a company specializing in wh at to do nor where to form of 550 mg/g suitable took over as a head of the microbiome research. go.And then we forgot the for the production of small company, I carried out a essential goals of any cm-o softgels – see our two pro- restructuring of the teams ■ / Juillet - Août - Septembre 2018 / N°64 / L’Actualité des Ingrédients Fonctionnels & Santé