CPL Aromas: Between Olfactory Creativity and Modern Technologies – A Conversation with Rawya Catto – General Manager at CPL Aromas

In the rapidly evolving world of perfumery, some companies stand out due to their creative vision, commitment to quality, and dedication to sustainability. CPL Aromas is one such company, blending fragrance craftsmanship with modern technology to deliver unique innovations that inspire global markets.

In this interview, we speak with Rawya Catto, General Manager of CPL Aromas’ Middle East division, to explore her insights on the evolution of the fragrance industry, the influence of Eastern fragrance culture on the company’s creations, and the role of technology—particularly artificial intelligence—in shaping the future of perfumery. She also shares personal scent memories from her homeland, Syria, and gives us a glimpse into upcoming fragrance trends that will shape consumer preferences.

1. Could you update us briefly about CPL Aromas and your main role in the company?

CPL is a fragrance design house; we create and design perfumes for the most successful brands in the world. We’re a family-owned, independent business, and our focus is on doing good through our scents and contributing to the well-being of society through fragrance creations that stand the test of time. I’m Rawya Catto, the Middle East Division General Manager in Dubai. It’s a fascinating region for the fine fragrance world and globally because the world is looking to the Middle East for inspiration, creativity, and trendsetting. We’re also the only international fragrance house with a full-fledged factory out here, so proudly made in UAE.

2. What are the fragrance ingredients that distinguish the company, whether natural or synthetic? Do you have any modern techniques used in perfumery?

We pride ourselves on the quality of our ingredient palettes! We have a Global Sorting program centralized in the UK, and our Global Buyers work on different innovative and engaging ingredients. We have our Responsible Sourcing program, where we partner with local companies and farmers. I like to use the term: ‘farm to fragrance’ – to create the best essential oils while utilizing environmental and ethical best practices. We have a strong National Partnerships program and develop in-house ingredients that are, I like to say, a little bit like the quiet luxury of perfumery. We have a collection of ingredients called AromaFusions, which are only available to our perfumers. They are a creative combination of ingredients that can provide creative value for perfumery. We also have our AromaSpace program, which we use to recreate the scent of any plant, flower, or even food that is trending. So, we’ve recently created Matcha teas, the Taif Rose, and the latest launch from January 2025, the Arabian Moringa.

3. What are CPL Aromas’ plans for developing the world of perfumery?

CPL wants to return to the roots of developing good perfumery in today’s world. The fragrance industry has become very complex, and more than 800 new perfumes are launched annually. On the one hand, consumers are drowned by new launches and flankers, so there is a lot of noise in the market. Then, from a perfumery development perspective, there are a lot of layers to creation, so we plan on simplifying and streamlining the creative process and giving brand owners access to the best perfumers in the world. So, going back to the basics, partnering with brands and helping them create true success stories that make a lasting impact.

4. What are the challenges you face in light of the rapid development of artificial intelligence?

I don’t see AI as a challenge; I see it as a friend. As an industry, there is so much data on ingredients, their performance, stability, and interactions. A perfumer’s palette is a minimum of 1000 ingredients that can be combined in countless possibilities… I think AI will be a promising formulation partner for perfumers. Taking away the analytical and technical side so they can focus on their creativity and passion for tailoring something unique that brings value. I think AI will go hand-in-hand; AI takes the regulatory side, and the final spontaneous creative decisions will still be with the perfumer.

5. What is the company’s future vision for the perfume industry? And in your opinion, what are the prevailing trends that will become popular among fragrance enthusiasts in the future?

To quote our CEO, ‘We are absolutely not trying to be the biggest fragrance house in the industry; we’re actually trying to be the best.’ We want to offer a platform for the best performers in the world to come and feel free to express their creativity, a fragrance house that understands them and gives them the tools to be successful and give back something beautiful to the world. The acronym for CPL is ‘Contemporary Perfumers Limited,’ so we are the house where contemporary perfumers of today are free to come and work on accords that will make a difference in perfumery. Regarding trends, perfumery is at the cusp of an exciting time because consumers have taken much more power than they used to, thanks to their ability to voice their opinions and reviews, thanks to platforms like TikTok. Consumers are no longer dictated to what they should like or buy. They’re actively shaping the industry through their consumer demands. It’s become almost a partnership between the perfumer and the end user. Of course, gourmands are reigning supreme, and neo-gourmands are edging in, but I do think fresher and skin-like scents will rise in popularity in the coming months.

6. How has Eastern fragrance culture contributed to the development of CPL Aromas, and what ingredients are of particular interest to the company?

So, CPL has been operating in the region for a long time. Our Master, Perfumer Christian Provenzano, works in Dubai and has developed an incredible knowledge of key ingredients. He is one of the global experts in being able to identify Oud blindly just by smelling the origin of the wood, the aging of it, and the quality of it, and he has contributed to building a powerful and unique palette that CPL perfumer’s work with. We’re also very strong on developing and creating conversations that speak culturally to Middle Eastern consumers, so having the knowledge of those nuances and understanding in depth what the consumers like and their cultural expectations helps us create scented stories with strong appeal. Tapping into that cultural knowledge really helps us stand out and offer differentiated scents to our customers. Having a local footprint allows us also to explore local ingredients from the region. Last year, our Senior Perfumer Kevin Mathys went to Saudi Arabia to experience the Taif Rose at 4:00 AM at sunrise; from this, we launched our Taif Rose AromaSpace in 2024! Having access to local cherished ingredients and utilizing them in our perfumers’ palettes sustainably is something we’ll never take for granted.

7. How would you describe the creative relationship between CPL Aromas and perfume designers?

Regarding our perfumers in-house, we aspire to give them a platform so they can build what they feel is best. They have their own projects, but alongside that, one-third of their time is for them to create to their hearts content. Almost like a perfumer’s playground where they can try, fail, explore their inspiration, and innovate so for new projects, they always have something to build on.

8. How has your home country, Syria, influenced you in the perfume industry, and what fragrance ingredients remind you of it?

Oh, I love this. Thank you for asking! Where we come from truly influences how we smell, and smell has the power to conjure things in time. Where I grew up, there was a lot of seasonality in foods and smells. When it’s Blackberry season, all houses smell like Blackberries because everyone makes Blackberry jam, jelly, and syrup. Another smell very close to my heart is the smell of caraway seeds because of a dessert called Karawiyah. It’s made from caraway seeds, cinnamon, clove, anise powder, and baby rice. It’s reserved for when a baby is born in a Syrian household, so it’s special and very nostalgic. A type of scent and flavor profile that you cannot find anywhere else in the world. You carry your home scents with you through life but also, you’re adopted scents with you. Having grown up in the GCC, the smell of saffron, woods, and roses cannot be disassociated from my personal story and what I actually gravitate towards.

With every step CPL Aromas takes, the company proves its ability to blend tradition and innovation, moving toward the creation of fragrances that engage the senses and endure for generations. Our conversation with Rawya Catto provided a unique opportunity to gain deeper insight into her vision for the perfume industry and CPL Aromas’ role in shaping the future of perfumery. Through its commitment to quality, sustainability, and the use of cutting-edge technology, the company is poised for continued success and innovations that will continue to influence the world of fragrance. With every new scent from CPL Aromas, we eagerly await more inspiration and beauty in the world of perfumery.