Meet Bachem – Interview with Gilles Parmentier

Gilles Parmentier is a seasoned Sales Manager with extensive experience in the field of peptides. Gilles has broad experience with peptides, such as cosmetic peptides, diagnostic peptides, and research peptides. Through his work, Gilles has helped countless companies to navigate the complex landscape of peptide-based products, while staying at the forefront of this rapidly-evolving field.

We sat down with Gilles to learn more about his experience, his current role and and what drives him. So without further ado, let’s dive in and meet Gilles Parmentier.

First off, how long have you been working at Bachem, What is your Background, and what is your current role?

This is a long story for which I will try to make a short answer. I joined Bachem in June but I had already worked for Bachem from 2004 to 2019, so 15 years already. In the meantime, I had a 3-year break as Senior BDM for a French-Belgian CDMO (Contract development and manufacturing organization).

I am a chemist by education. I completed my PhD in Strasbourg almost 30 years ago and my current role is in sales as Head of Global Research Chemicals and Specialties.

Briefly, what do you do at Bachem?

I manage our sales teams in Europe and the USA for our Research Chemicals and Specialties business. The markets we are responsible for are very diverse, ranging from all the players in peptide synthesis who are looking for quality raw materials, to researchers in research institutes, to diagnostic companies, to cosmetic companies, to biotechnology companies, etc.

What were your expectations when you joined Bachem?

My main motivation was to find my old team, to consolidate it and to do a good job, all together. The expectation is well on track to be fulfilled soon.

How are the Marketing & Sales teams partnering with customers?

There are many opportunities to partner with our customers. My favorite one is during some trade shows and scientific symposiums. We also have the chance to organize some visits on site and to discuss our customer’s concrete projects. I really like that we are the partner of our customer, not simply a supplier.

What Makes a perfect Day for you?

A perfect day is a busy day with a good mix of real contact with my coworkers and customers and the feeling that we have made good progress all together.

What is your business motto?

Work seriously but never take yourself too seriously.

What do you like most about your job?

We have the chance to work with very interesting and clever customers in an innovative environment.

What does Innovation mean for you? Do you see Bachem as an innovative company?

Bachem is clearly an innovative company. This is the main reason why I joined 20 years ago.

An innovative company never lives on its achievements and regularly launches itself into new technological challenges. This is what we are doing now with oligonucleotide chemistry, green chemistry projects such as Molecular Hivingâ„¢ for the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.

What is Molecular Hivingâ„¢?

The Molecular Hivingâ„¢ technology is an innovation we use to produce shorter peptides without hazardous solvents and higher process controls. We need less washing and filtration steps compared to classic peptide synthesis. Using this technology the need of organic solvents can be reduced by up to 60%.

What do you do outside of work? For fun or as a hobby?

Gardening! And in the summer, I like horse riding and play guitar with a group of friends. In winter I dedicate it to cross-country skiing, skating, to be more precise.

What is your favorite Peptide and why?

XEP-018 is a cosmetic peptide ingredient. I followed the development of this peptide from the very early R&D phase till the commercialization. I was proud to be part of this success story.

What are cosmetic Peptides?

Cosmetic peptide ingredients are smaller chains of amino acids used in cosmetic products to enhance the skin’s appearance and texture. Peptides are comparable to proteins. However, they are smaller and more accessible for the skin to absorb.

Cosmetic peptides can perform several different tasks, including increasing collagen production, hydrating the skin, minimizing the appearance of wrinkles, and pigmentation reduction.

What is XEP-018

The synthetic cosmetic peptide XEP-018 is commonly used in anti-aging skincare products. Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 or Argireline is the full name of XEP-018. It is effective in reducing the appearance of wrinkles, particularly on the forehead and around the eyes. 

More information

Learn more about our research and specialties, such as catalog peptides, custom peptide synthesis, diagnostic peptides, cosmetic peptides, and amino acid derivatives.

The peptides mentioned above are manufactured in our ISO13485 certified production site in St. Helens. They are produced under research grade conditions but as well as research grade plus, which includes:

  • Medical Device File
  • Critical change control
  • Dedicated equipment
  • Customized vialing and generation of peptide mixes

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