Givaudan senior perfumer John Gamba has been awarded the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Society of Perfumers (ASP), recognizing a three-decade career defined by creative leadership, technical mastery, and mentorship across the global fragrance industry.
The award was presented during the World Perfumery Congress in Monterey, California on June 25, 2026. ASP leadership highlighted Gamba’s long-standing contribution to perfumery craft and his role in shaping the next generation of fragrance creators.
In his acceptance, Gamba reflected on fragrance as a lifelong craft rooted in memory, emotion, and continuous learning.
Gamba’s career began at the fragrance house Dragoco, where he rose from lab technician to a leading perfumer. Over a distinguished tenure that included 20 years at Givaudan, he developed award-winning scents for a global portfolio of brands.
His work spans categories and includes high-profile collaborations with Calvin Klein, Elizabeth Arden, and Bath & Body Works, as well as celebrity fragrance launches for Kim Kardashian, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera. Gamba recently retired from Givaudan, leaving a legacy of scents that Roger Howell, president of the ASP, described as some of "the most memorable fragrances of our time"
