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«I have been called a visionary, but nothing happens if you don’t work hard. This has always been my philosophy and I put passion and commitment into everything”, says Valérie Taupin, founder and CEO of Teoxane, a Swiss company specializing in dermal fillers and dermocosmetics, which this year celebrates 20 years since its birth, says how it all began.
«In 2003, I had the intuition to understand that the aesthetic medicine market was too rigid and needed a strong change. So I created Teoxane with the aim of combining safety and creativity in the use of dermal fillers. Our mantra is “inject more beauty into your life”, the aim is to enhance natural, non-artificial beauty, ensuring that people can feel better and embrace their own concept of beauty ».
And time has proven her right, especially the numbers: over 600 employees work in the company, 360 of which are in Switzerland. In 2022, 3 million boxes of fillers were produced, reaching 94 countries around the world. Its list includes 180 patents and 25 different formulations, which many competitors have tried to imitate.
The birth of Teoxane
«This anniversary gives me pride and nostalgia – says Taupin -. I was born in France, but from a young age I understood that it was necessary to accept challenges to grow. So I moved to Germany, where I had to learn a difficult language and adapt to a new culture. There I approached medicine and began to follow two products: the first was a sort of gauze for patients suffering from burns, the second a sheath to be worn after liposuction surgery. Dealing with the suffering of burn victims was very challenging, but I learned to relate to others, to understand their needs. During this period I came into contact with a renowned plastic surgeon who had developed a compound to fill wrinkles and I realized that this was the sector where I wanted to work. They were difficult years, I had to fight, but I no longer wanted to be just a distributor, but I wanted to create my own product and so I thought of Teoxane.”
And he continues: «I chose Geneva as the location because it is a strategic city: close to an international airport, full of talent, with an excellent reputation for pharmaceutical companies. I started in a 400 m2 location and year after year we grew, until we expanded to 10,000 m2, an achievement that reflects our growth and ambition. And I must add that I know all my employees personally, although that may seem unusual. In our company there are three very important values that guide us: independence, innovation and commitment to excellence. As for independence, I encourage my team to work freely, fostering an environment where everyone is empowered to take initiative. When it comes to innovation, you need to have the courage to challenge the status quo and overcome limits. And then there is our culture of excellence, present in everything we do, from products to training.”