DECEMBER 2017 VIRGIN AUSTRALIA 053
BUSINESS ON THE ROAD
WORDS
SARAH NORRIS
ILLUSTRATION
GREGORY BALWIN/THE ILLUSTRATION ROOM
Cosmetics innovator Guive Balooch is a
regular visitor to L’Oréal’s headquarters in
Paris, where he heads their tech incubator.A Dab Hand
O
ne million. That’s the number of miles Guive
Balooch travels each year as the global vice
president of L’Oréal’s Technology Incubator.
The native Californian spends much of his
time in the air travelling to the company’s four labs, in
San Francisco, Tokyo, New Jersey and Paris; the last
of which is also home to L’Oréal’s global headquarters.
Designed as a start-up in the research and innovation
division, the incubator was created by Balooch in 2012 to
build collaborations between academics, entrepreneurs
and experts, with a goal of developing new products and
technologies. “The team is made up of many specialists,
from UX [user experience design] to data scientists to
engineers and academics,” says Balooch, whose resumé
includes a degree in molecular and cell biology, a PhD in
biomaterials and a post-doctorate in cell biomechanics.
The first incubator project, Makeup Genius, launched
in2014—avirtualmirror app that relies on augmented
reality technology to superimpose graphics on real-
world imagery, letting users ‘try on’ L’Oréal cosmetics. It
has been downloaded more than 17 million times. Other
projects include partnering with bioprinting company
Organovo to produce 3D printed skin tissue, and a
venture to develop stretchable skin sensors to monitor
UV exposure. “We strongly believe the intersection of
beauty, technology and design will bring a new level of
performance for our consumers,” says Balooch.STAY
IlovethePark Hyatt Paris-
Vendôme(5 Rue de la Paix;
http://www.parisvendome.park.
hyatt.com) near the Place
Vendôme. It’s great for
business travellers as it’s
quiet and luxurious, and
perfectly positioned within
the centre of Paris.DO
I enjoy visiting theRodin
Museum(77 Rue de Varenne;
http://www.musee-rodin.fr)in
the 7th arrondissement.
Walking through the garden,
seeing the beautiful Rodin
sculptures with views of
Les Invalides and the Eifel
Tower — it’s really incredible.EAT & DRINK
La Fontaine De Mars( 129
Rue Saint-Dominique)ismy
favourite restaurant in town.
It’s intimate, has all the charm
of an old Parisian-style bistro,
the food is incredible and it’s
within walking distance ofthe Eifel Tower.Le Willi’s
Wine Bar(13 Rue des Petits
Champs; http://www.williswine
bar.com) is an excellent spot
for a meeting over wine
or aperitifs. When I have
a spare moment, I love to
duck intoCafé Kitsuné
(51 Galerie de Montpensier;
http://www.kitsune.fr) by fashion
and music label Kitsuné.
I order cofee and sit near
the gardens in Palais Royal
to enjoy the beauty of Paris.SHOP
I cannot help but indulge
in shopping atLe Bon
Marchédepartment
store (24 Rue de Sèvres;
http://www.24sevres.com). Then
I always find time to walk
across the street to their
grocery department, which
is truly amazing. You can
pick up wine, fresh produce
and cheese. I also love
theLeclaireur boutiques
(www.leclaireur.com)
around Paris, for one-of-
a-kind designer clothing.Cultural
Tip
Make sure to
always be ready
for long chats
over cofee;
many business
decisions are
made with an
espresso in
hand. It’s not
so bad, because
the cofee is
great in Paris.GETTING THERE VIRGIN AUSTRALIA OFFERS FLIGHTS TO
PARIS WITH ITS CODESHARE PARTNER SINGAPORE AIRLINES.
TO BOOK, VISIT WWW.VIRGINAUSTRALIA.COM OR CALL
13 67 89 (IN AUSTRALIA).BALOOCH’S GUIDE TO PARIS