Shanghai's regional HQ drives firms' expansion, innovation

One common secret of success in China for L'Oreal, global giants in their respective fields, is that they chose Shanghai as their regional headquarters, which has facilitated their solid business performance in the past 20-plus years.

As a leader in the beauty industry, the company set up L'Oreal Research and Innovation China in Shanghai 20 years ago.

As one of L'Oreal's seven global R&D hubs and the largest outside the French headquarters, the center boasts end-to-end R&D capabilities. In 2024, it applied for 372 patents in China, including 81 invention patents from Chinese R&D teams.

"In 2005, we opened in Shanghai's Pudong New Area to introduce innovative achievements from our French headquarters to China. Today, we are here to introduce China's innovations to the world," said Xavier Blin, director of the research and innovation center. "Investing in China is investing in future."

Shanghai's regional HQ environment drives firms' expansion, innovation

L'Oreal has just announced a strategic partnership with a local startup Veminsyn to jointly develop innovative bioactive ingredients and promote mass production.

"From DNV's century-long heritage to L'Oreal's 20 years of innovation, these multinationals' practices in China vividly illustrate the strong magnetism of the Chinese market, its cutting-edge innovation capabilities, and its open and inclusive cooperation philosophy," said Liu Liang, a researcher with the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.