L'Oréal vs Novo Nordisk

Hightouch Names Matthew Lubeck General Manager EMEA

Hightouch, a leader in data and AI for marketing, has appointed Matthew Lubeck as General Manager for EMEA. Based in London, Lubeck will lead all go-to-market functions across the region as Hightouch drives adoption of agentic marketing. The company reports over 100% growth in each of the past two years and recently closed a $150 million Series D. Hightouch already has offices in London and Paris, native-speaking teams across multiple European markets, and a new team in Dubai. Lubeck brings 20 years of experience, having previously launched and led Amperity's EMEA business and held leadership roles at L'Oréal and Estée Lauder. Hightouch's platform supports EU data residency and runs inside customers' data warehouses, with clients including Accor, HelloFresh, Currys, and Telenor.

• Hightouch appoints Matthew Lubeck as General Manager EMEA, based in London.
• Lubeck previously launched and led EMEA business at Amperity.
• Hightouch reported over 100% growth in each of the past two years.

L'Oréal rolls out internal GPT to 90,000 employees

In a podcast interview, L'Oréal's DACH CIO Arooj Humayun detailed the company's three-stage plan for integrating generative AI across its 90,000 employees. The plan includes awareness building, training, and tool deployment. To ensure data privacy and compliance with stringent German regulations, L'Oréal developed its own internal platform, L'Oréal GPT, which runs on-premise and uses vetted large language models. This prevents any data from leaving the company. Additionally, they use a tool called CreateTech for image generation. The company is now moving towards AI agents, dubbed 'Companions', which can execute actions like booking travel. Usage is measured via anonymized prompt counts. The initiative aims to empower employees in various departments, including finance, HR, and marketing, to automate repetitive tasks.

• L'Oréal has 90,000 employees.
• L'Oréal developed its own internal AI platform called L'Oréal GPT.
• L'Oréal GPT runs on-premise and uses vetted large language models.

Omnicom Media Group Wins L'Oréal's €350M Media Account

The Omnicom Media Group has won the media pitch for L'Oréal's €350 million account. The dedicated agency for the cosmetics giant will be named Beauty Co-Lab. The new agency is set to launch in January 2027. This follows the recent announcement that Wavemaker, the incumbent, lost the account. The article provides details on the agency structure and confirms the name of the new entity, but the full details are behind a paywall.

6-K Financial Filing Analysis for Novo Nordisk (2026-10-19)

Novo Nordisk filed a Form 6-K on October 19, 2026, detailing weekly transaction activity under its ongoing share repurchase programme conducted in accordance with EU Market Abuse Regulation safe harbour rules. Between October 12 and October 16, 2026, the company repurchased 1,225,000 Class B shares for a total consideration of DKK 316,147,881, bringing the total accumulated under the sub-programme initiated on May 6, 2026, to 24,315,000 B shares valued at DKK 7,075,024,314. Overall, under the broader 12-month DKK 15 billion buyback programme initiated on February 4, 2026, Novo Nordisk has acquired 39,074,179 B shares for a total of DKK 10,875,024,304 at an average price of DKK 278.32 per share. Following these transactions, Novo Nordisk holds 53,114,876 treasury B shares, representing approximately 1.2% of the company's total share capital.

• Repurchased 1,225,000 Class B shares between October 12 and October 16, 2026, for a transaction value of DKK 316,147,881.
• Total capital returned via the February 4, 2026 programme reached DKK 10,875,024,304 across 39,074,179 B shares, against an authorized cap of DKK 15,000,000,000.
• Treasury share holding expanded to 53,114,876 Class B shares, accounting for 1.2% of total share capital (4,465,000,000 shares total).

Lundbeck Chair Wenzel to Step Down; Novo's Jørgensen Succeeds

H. Lundbeck A/S announced that Dorothea Wenzel will step down as Chair of the Board at the 2027 Annual General Meeting. The Board intends to appoint Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, former CEO of Novo Nordisk, as her successor. Jørgensen will join the Board as an observer on November 10, 2026, before formal election. This leadership transition aligns with Lundbeck's Focused Innovator strategy, moving into its Scale phase. Wenzel, who has served on the Board since 2021 and as Chair since March 2025, will leave after five years of involvement. Jørgensen brings over 30 years of pharmaceutical experience, including leading Novo Nordisk's growth in diabetes and obesity care.

• Dorothea Wenzel will step down as Chair of Lundbeck's Board at the 2027 AGM.
• Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, former CEO of Novo Nordisk, is intended to become new Chair.
• Jørgensen will join the Board as observer on November 10, 2026.

Anthropic Confirms AI Biology Wet Lab Operations

Anthropic confirmed it operates a wet biology lab where its AI models can perform physical experiments, integrating theoretical AI work with real-world lab testing. The lab, led by head of life sciences Eric Kauderer-Abrams, conducts research internally and with external partners, but explicitly avoids drug discovery to prevent competing with pharma clients like Novo Nordisk. Alongside the lab, Anthropic launched a Life Sciences Verification Program granting vetted researchers access to its advanced models. The announcement follows its April acquisition of stealth AI biotech Coefficient Bio for approximately $400 million and occurs amid industry and internal concerns about AI safety, including a researcher's resignation and CEO Dario Amodei's calls for self-regulation.

• Anthropic confirmed it operates a wet biology lab for AI-driven physical experiments.
• Anthropic's head of life sciences, Eric Kauderer-Abrams, stated the lab conducts research internally and with external partners.
• Anthropic acquired biotech startup Coefficient Bio in April 2026 for $400 million.