Symrise has launched its new global data and AI hub in Barcelona, marking a major milestone in its digitalisation strategy.
The pioneering centre, named the #BCN Hub, will create a dedicated platform to develop advanced data-driven solutions that strengthen innovation across Symrise’s core customer markets.
Around 25 postgraduates have joined an intensive 12-month programme designed to combine structured learning with hands-on experience, laying the foundation for a sustainable in-house data and AI capability.
Symrise selected Barcelona for its outstanding talent pool, strong academic institutions and vibrant technology ecosystem.
The hub provides an inspiring environment in which teams can design ideas, build prototypes and transform them into scalable solutions that deliver measurable benefits for customers in highly competitive markets.
The #BCN Hub will enable Symrise to create digital solutions that help customers respond faster to consumer trends, optimise product development and ensure supply chain resilience.
By focusing on six key business areas – finance, research and development, procurement, supply chain, consumer insights and sustainability – the hub will support the delivery of high-quality and sustainable products.
The approach empowers manufacturers to accelerate their innovation cycles, improve transparency and bring personalised, trend-driven products to market more efficiently.
“The #BCN Hub will become an in-house centre for innovation, collaboration and transformation at Symrise,” said Eliza Millet, Chief Digital and Information Officer.
“It will allow us to accelerate product development, strengthen strategic business planning and boost operational efficiency.” Chief Transformation Officer Nick Russel added.
“Digitalisation goes beyond advancing projects – it opens new ways to approach challenges creatively and deliver value to our customers.”
The programme welcomes graduates from diverse fields such as computer science, physics and bioinformatics, with participants bringing strong analytical skills and the ability to adapt quickly to complex topics.
Symrise offers intensive mentoring from experienced experts in digital transformation and analytics, combining structured training with real-world projects.
This personalised guidance accelerates learning and creates long-term career opportunities within the company, ensuring a steady pipeline of digital talent to support customer-focused innovation.
The hub actively engages with Barcelona’s ecosystem, with Symrise collaborating with the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, participating in recruitment events and partnering with technology leaders such as Microsoft.
The company also plans community events and meetups to foster knowledge exchange within the tech scene.
On the technology side, the hub leverages Symrise’s established platforms that include the following:
- Atl@s Lakehouse built on Databricks for advanced analytics
- UiPath for process automation
- Mendix for rapid application development.
This combination ensures fast prototyping and smooth scaling of solutions that enhance efficiency and responsiveness across the value chain.
With the #BCN Hub, Symrise aims to expand its digital capabilities, strengthen its global presence and continuously deliver innovative solutions that help its customers succeed in dynamic markets.