BASTIEN PARIZOT
THE AI INTERVIEW
Bastien Parizot has spent the best part of two decades harnessing the power of technology to transform businesses. Today, as SVP Global Business Services at Reckitt – the consumer goods giant behind household names including Dettol, Lysol, Durex, Finish and Nurofen – he leads one of the company’ s most consequential bets: the integration of AI into global operations.
It is a role that positions Bastien at the helm of Reckitt’ s Global Business Services function and its enterprise-wide AI transformation. The goal, as Bastien frames it, is to“ reinvent our end-to-end processes and enable a more effective, simplified Reckitt”.
Applying AI systematically Reckitt’ s brands are used in hundreds of millions of households every day. The company has built its reputation over more than 200 years on product superiority and consumer trust. Now, it is betting big on AI to sustain that edge in a fast-moving market.
Reckitt’ s AI journey began in earnest in early 2024, when the leadership team asked a pointed question: given the rise of AI and the explosion of available data, what could the company do differently? The answer set in motion a programme to apply AI systematically across the business.
Marketing came to the fore as a natural starting point. Already one of Reckitt’ s most data-mature functions, with existing experience in machine learning, it offered fertile ground for experimentation – and the results exceeded expectations.
BASTIEN PARIZOT
TITLE: SVP GLOBAL BUSINESS SERVICES
COMPANY: RECKITT INDUSTRY: CONSUMER GOODS
Bastien has led IT and digital across multiple business functions at Reckitt, including the Emerging Markets division. Today, he heads up Global Business Services and its AI transformation initiative.
After a successful proof of value, Reckitt deployed a suite of AI-powered tools to more than 1,000 marketers, covering reporting, creativity and innovation. The outcomes were striking: a 60 % boost in marketing efficiency and a significant reduction in time spent on routine undertakings.
Bastien reflects:“ Our pilot showed that time spent on everyday tasks – for example, a post-campaign media analysis – could be reduced by up to 50 %, with better quality.”
From programmer to AI leader Bastien’ s path to the AI frontier was far from direct, but in hindsight feels inevitable. Technology has been a constant thread throughout his career, regardless of the specific function he was serving.
24 April 2026