Mansoor Bin Mohammed Inaugurates Himalaya Wellness

Government of Dubai Media Office – 12 December 2022: His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum today inaugurated the state-of-the-art Global Research Centre of Himalaya Wellness in Dubai Science Park, a member of TECOM Group PSJC.

The new facility, which reflects Dubai’s growth as a global R&D and healthcare hub, will develop pharmaceutical-grade herbal medicines, nutritional supplements and skin, hair, oral and baby care products for export to more than 100 countries. Himalaya Wellness is a leading global manufacturer of herbal health and personal care products.

The official inauguration was also attended by His Excellency Malek Al Malek, Director General of the Dubai Development Authority and Chairman of the TECOM Group; Abdulla Belhoul, Chief Executive Officer of the TECOM Group; Shailendra Malhotra, Global CEO, Himalaya Wellness; and Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi, Senior Vice President, Dubai Science Park.

The Himalaya Global Research Centre serves as a global think tank for Himalaya Wellness. Led by a multicultural team, the facility houses a state-of-the-art Consumer Experience Centre, which will allow scientists to interact directly with consumers.

Abdulla Belhoul, Chief Executive Officer of TECOM Group, said: “Dubai’s business environment has set new global benchmarks for fostering growth, innovation, entrepreneurship and excellence across sectors. Our leadership’s agility and commitment to promoting ease of business and innovation have powered our nation’s rapid rise as a competitive economic hub. The world’s largest companies have chosen Dubai to expand their reach and impact, reflecting the vast opportunities in the region that the emirate offers access to. Dubai’s expanding business community has created a pool of knowledge and innovation that will further raise its contributions to global R&D. The Global Research Centre established by Himalaya, one of the world’s leading companies in the health and wellness sector, represents the brand’s confidence in Dubai’s business ecosystem. We look forward to working with Himalaya closely to promote growth in the wellness industry.”

Shailendra Malhotra, Global CEO, Himalaya Wellness Company, said: “Creating safe and effective products through sustainable innovation is at the heart of Himalaya’s business philosophy and the biggest testimony to that is the trust of our consumers globally. We aim to establish Himalaya as a science-based, problem-solving, head-to-heel brand. To further drive excellence in innovation, we have set up a state-of-the-art ‘Himalaya Global Research Centre’ in Dubai Science Park spread over 55,000 sq ft. The R&D Centre in Dubai will help us in creating a strong product pipeline for the future and will house international talent, capabilities and infrastructure that I truly believe will take our mission forward.  We have already onboarded talent from 10 nationalities with a strong 30% gender diversity.  

He added: “Himalaya invests in markets with an in-depth and long-term approach, maintaining high ethical standards at each step of the way. Dubai’s highly supportive and business-friendly environment, efficient administration and forward-looking immigration policies backed by excellent work–life balance were some of the factors that inspired us to open a global R&D Centre here. Dubai being a gateway to the world will continue to be a strong pillar for Himalaya’s global outreach and this R&D facility will be a key enabler to drive and achieve Himalaya’s mission that is being pursued since 1930 - ‘Wellness in every Home, Happiness in every Heart’.”

The facility’s diverse team of scientists will design formulations that encompass the head-to-heel needs of consumers. The research centre’s formulation development laboratory has the capability to craft formulations based on novel technologies and scale them up to 100kg in a process laboratory. The facility has innovation capabilities to develop dietary supplements and functional foods such as gummies, syrups, tablets, capsules, powders and encapsuled actives. The facility also houses an ISO 7 clean room laboratory for advanced microbiome and enzyme technology research.

To achieve the organisation’s global sustainability goals, Himalaya has invested in a packaging development laboratory that will develop and deploy sustainable packaging solutions globally. The facility aims to be fully digitally operational and paperless, mirroring the objectives of the Dubai Paperless Strategy.  

The R&D facility is expected to create over 100 specialised jobs, contributing to Dubai and the UAE’s efforts to generate economic benefits for the region and beyond. The establishment of the Global Research Centre also supports the objectives of the ‘We the UAE 2031’ national plan to attract skilled talent and enhance the quality of life and care available to residents and citizens.

The third purpose-built R&D centre to be established in Dubai Science Park, the Himalaya Global Research Centre, enriches the globally competitive science-focused ecosystem launched in 2005 by TECOM Group. The ecosystem provides a purpose-built platform for businesses across the life science, healthcare and sustainability sectors.

Dubai Science Park is part of TECOM Group’s portfolio of business districts that include Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, Dubai Production City, Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai Design District and Dubai Industrial City.