Perfumer

Francis Kurkdjian

Francis Kurkdjian is a French perfumer and businessman of Armenian descent.

He is best known for creating the men's fragrance Le Male for Jean Paul Gaultier in 1995, which has become one of the world's best-selling perfumes. He has since created a further 40 fragrances for major companies worldwide, including Elie Saab Le Parfum for Elie Saab; My Burberry for Burberry; L'extase for Nina Ricci; and Narciso Rodriguez for Her for Narciso Rodriguez, Green Tea for Elizabeth Arden.

Kurkdjian co-founded the fragrance house Maison Francis Kurkdjian with Lebanese-French businessman and former Ernst & Young partner Marc Chaya, which has become a niche brand in the fragrance industry, one of the most recognised fragrances from his own label is Baccarat Rouge 540.

He was the winner of the Prix François Coty in 2001 for his lifetime achievement.