Gaël Montero represents a new generation of perfumers who bring multicultural perspectives into contemporary fragrance creation. Born with French-Spanish roots and raised in Madrid, his path into perfumery began unexpectedly. Initially pursuing film studies in France, he discovered his true calling through a series of chance encounters that eventually led him to the prestigious Givaudan perfumery school in Paris.

His educational journey at the University of Montpellier, where he first encountered Middle Eastern fragrance culture while working in a niche perfumery, shaped his understanding of diverse olfactory traditions. This early exposure became a defining element of his creative approach. Under the mentorship of perfumer Jordi Fernández at Givaudan Barcelona, Montero spent two formative years experimenting with raw materials and building a strong technical foundation.

Today, Montero works at Givaudan’s office in Dubai, where he has immersed himself in the rich olfactory landscape of the Middle East. He has developed particular expertise in oriental notes, oud, and spices such as saffron. His architectural approach to fragrance creation reflects his artistic background; he often describes his process as “building a fragrance,” with careful attention to structure and balance. This methodical yet intuitive approach has earned him recognition as one of the industry’s most promising young talents.

Montero’s portfolio demonstrates his ability to create cultural dialogue through fragrance, crafting compositions that pay homage rather than imitate different traditions. His work for Memo Paris includes Madurai, which captures the essence of Indian culture and architecture through jasmine sambac and sandalwood, as well as Cappadocia, where saffron acts as a central element within a resinous, amber composition.

For 27 87, Montero created Mosaïque, a complex blend that contrasts cool smokiness with a mystical sweetness, featuring notes of tobacco, honey, and roasted cocoa. Rule of 72 highlights his mastery of darker compositions, combining Thai oud with leather and vetiver in a refined, confident blend that expresses itself with subtlety rather than intensity.

His collaborations with Fragrance Du Bois include Cavort, an intimate composition built around saffron and davana, and Tropiques, which evokes a tropical atmosphere through bergamot and exotic fruits. For Attar Collection, he created Fleur de Santal, a delicate sandalwood-based fragrance, as well as Sierra, a modern spicy-woody composition featuring pink pepper and incense.

Montero’s philosophy is rooted in the idea of perfumery as both art and science. He believes that fragrance expresses a deeply personal identity meant to be shared. His long-term vision is to recreate the “magical scent” of the sun-warmed flora of his Spanish childhood, bringing his multicultural journey in perfumery full circle.