Articles – The Beauty Influencers

Veronique Gabai-Pinsky Appointed Chief Brand & Product Officer at BBW

Meredith Schott — Sat, 02 May 2026 01:21:28 +0000

Bath & Body Works announced the appointment of Veronique Gabai-Pinsky as its first-ever chief brand & product officer, effective May 18, 2026, building on her contributions as a creative product & brand adviser to the company.

As chief brand & product officer, Gabai-Pinsky will lead the company’s brand and product organization further elevating Bath & Body Works’ consumer proposition, advancing its fragrance leadership, accelerating innovation, and reigniting the brand. She will join the Executive Leadership Team and report to Chief Executive Officer Daniel Heaf.

“This is a critical role for Bath & Body Works as we continue to transform the business, modernize our consumer offering and return the brand to growth,” said Heaf. “Since joining us as an adviser, Veronique has already made an impact, bringing renewed creativity and a strong instinct for how to connect authentically with today’s consumers. As our first chief brand & product officer, she brings a powerful combination of deep product experience, fragrance expertise, brand building and a track record of translating consumer insight into compelling products and brands. With her leadership, we are strengthening our ability to create innovative products, re-ignite our brand and meet the evolving expectations of today’s consumer.”

Gabai-Pinsky brings three decades of experience across beauty, fragrance, fashion and luxury. Most recently, she founded her namesake brand, Veronique Gabai. Prior to that, she served as president of the Vera Wang Group, overseeing global operations, and spent 13 years at The Estée Lauder Companies, including her instrumental role as global president of the company’s fragrance division and independent skincare brands. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at Symrise, Guerlain and L’Oréal. Since November 2025, she has been serving as a creative product & brand adviser to Bath & Body Works, partnering with teams to elevate the brand and product experience.

“Consumers today are looking for more from the brands they love: greater efficacy, more intentional craftsmanship, more meaningful experiences, a value system they can share and a community they are proud to belong to,” said Gabai-Pinsky. “Bath & Body Works has a unique ability to connect product, emotion and everyday feel-good rituals in a way very few brands can. Having seen firsthand the strength of the team and the opportunity ahead, I’m excited and honored to build on that momentum by elevating product innovation, deepening our storytelling and connection with consumers, and creating even more inspiring experiences that resonate with today’s consumer.”

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L’Oreal Completes Acquisition of Kering Beauté

Meredith Schott — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:46:56 +0000

L’Oréal and Kering have announced the completion of L’Oréal’s acquisition of Kering Beauté, including the House of Creed, one of the world’s foremost luxury fragrance houses, as well as the signing of fifty-year exclusive licences for the creation, development and distribution of fragrance and beauty products under the Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga brands, in accordance with the terms announced on 19th October 2025.

Regarding the Gucci brand, as previously announced, the rights to enter into a fifty-year exclusive license agreement will begin upon the expiration of the existing license with Coty, in full compliance with the Kering Group’s obligation under their current license arrangement.

L’Oréal and Kering are also continuing to explore development opportunities in the fields of wellness and longevity through a joint venture.

«On behalf of the Group, I am delighted to welcome these extraordinary brands into the L’Oréal family,” said Nicolas Hieronimus, Chief Executive Officer of L’Oréal. “This significant new milestone in our strategic partnership with Kering reinforces our position as the world’s number one in both beauty and luxury beauty. We will now work together, over the next fifty years, to write the next chapter of these iconic brands, to unlock their immense growth potential.»

« This acquisition marks a defining milestone for L’Oréal Luxe. By bringing these iconic houses into our portfolio, we are uniting around the very essence of luxury: bold creativity, exceptional craftsmanship, and a forward-looking vision of beauty” said Cyril Chapuy, President of L’Oréal Luxe. “I’m especially proud to welcome the teams behind these maisons, who contribute to their unique identity. Together, we are strengthening L’Oréal Luxe’s leadership and reinforcing our ambition to be the ultimate destination for the world’s most aspirational luxury beauty experiences.”

“Our strategic alliance with L’Oréal marks a decisive step forward for Kering”, said Luca de Meo, CEO of Kering. “By leveraging L’Oréal’s unmatched expertise in the beauty sector, we are opening a new phase of acceleration for the development of fragrances and cosmetics for our Houses, among the most iconic in the world. This long-term partnership will enable us to fully realize their potential in this category and support their development, drawing on the creativity, desirability, and excellence that set them apart.”

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DOJ Closes Investigation Against Symrise

George Ledes — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 23:32:09 +0000

The Department of Justice of the United States of America (“DoJ”) has informed Symrise by a letter dated February 5^th, 2026, that it is closing its investigation against Symrise.

No unlawful practice of Symrise has been found. Symrise welcomes the decision by the DoJ. The company has always maintained that it did not participate in any unlawful agreements with competitors in the fragrance business.

Symrise has argued strongly from the outset that it should never have been part of this investigation and that the actions taken by the authorities were not justified. The company remains committed to ethical business practices and regulatory compliance and looks forward to the similar investigations by other authorities against Symrise also being discontinued soon.

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Givaudan Announces CEO and Chairman Succession Plans

Meredith Schott — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 02:03:36 +0000

Givaudan has announced that Gilles Andrier will retire from his position as Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 March 2026, after a distinguished career of over 30 years of service and 20 years leading the Company as Chief Executive Officer.

Under his leadership, Givaudan has experienced significant growth driven by a successful strategy focused on geographic, customer and portfolio expansion, complemented by over 20 strategic acquisitions. Between the end of 2004 and the end of 2024, the Company grew from 5,900 to 16,900 employees, sales almost tripled from CHF 2.7 billion to over CHF 7.4 billion, and market capitalisation rose from CHF 5.8 billion to CHF 36.6 billion. Over this period, he has firmly established Givaudan as a global leader in Fragrance & Beauty as well as Taste & Wellbeing.

After a thorough selection process, the Board of Directors has also announced that Christian Stammkoetter has been designated as Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 March 2026. Christian joins from Danone where he is currently President Asia, Middle East and Africa and a member of the Executive Committee. He brings over 25 years of global experience in fast-moving consumer goods, from personal care to food, beverage and nutrition, across multiple geographies. He has a proven track record of driving sustainable growth and value creation, leading high performing teams, and fostering a culture of innovation and creativity, combined with a strong customer focus and deep consumer understanding. The Board is confident that he will continue to drive Givaudan’s long-term success, delivering value for all its stakeholders.

Chairman of the Board of Directors Calvin Grieder commented: “We are incredibly grateful to Gilles for the tremendous contribution he has made to Givaudan, and the wider industry over the last 30 years. Through his visionary leadership, the Company has consistently delivered industry-leading performance, and created significant shareholder value. He is also a purpose-led leader who has shaped and nurtured the strong culture and DNA of Givaudan, inspiring colleagues around the world.”

Commenting on the appointment of Christian Stammkoetter, Grieder continued: “We are excited to welcome Christian as Givaudan’s designated Chief Executive Officer. Christian brings a wealth of global leadership experience across multiple regions and business areas, a consistent record of high performance, and his leadership skills and personality are a great cultural fit with Givaudan. The Board is confident that Christian is the right leader to bring our 2030 strategy to life, delivering long-term value for all our stakeholders, and fostering the culture of innovation and excellence that is at the heart of our success.”

Chief Executive Officer Gilles Andrier commented: “It has been an immense privilege and source of joy to lead Givaudan for the last 20 years and be part of its journey for over 30 years. I love this Company, and its purpose ‘Creating for happier, healthier lives with love for nature. Let’s imagine together.’ Over the years, I have been incredibly fortunate to work with, and see develop, many talented individuals and teams. I’ve been equally inspired by our clients and am proud to contribute to the success of their brands. As we set out our strategic roadmap for the next five years, it is the right moment to announce the handover to Christian in early 2026, and I wish him every success for the future.”

Designated Chief Executive Officer Christian Stammkoetter commented: “I am honoured and excited to join Givaudan in early 2026 and to lead this iconic company together with the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors. Givaudan’s creativity, customer-centricity, unique culture, and 250-year heritage in crafting extraordinary scents and tastes inspire me deeply. I am fully aligned to its purpose and look forward to building on Gilles Andrier’s outstanding legacy, driving growth and innovation with our talented teams, customers, and partners worldwide. I thank the Board and Gilles for their trust.”

Changes to the Board of Directors

Calvin Grieder announced his intention to step down from his role as Chairman at the next Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 19 March 2026, after completing 12 years of dedicated service on the Board. His tenure has been marked by significant achievements and commitment to enhancing Givaudan’s strategic vision. At the AGM, the Board of Directors will propose Gilles Andrier for election to the role of Chairman bringing continuity and deep industry experience to provide strategic oversight at the Board level.

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Thierry Wasser Appointed President of ISPC

Meredith Schott — Thu, 15 May 2025 15:06:34 +0000

We are very pleased to share with you that Thierry Wasser, Master Perfumer at Guerlain, is the new President of ISPC, International Society of Perfumer-Creators.

He succeeded Francis Kurkdjian in April 28, and will have Calice Becker as his vice president.

Thierry grew up in Switzerland. He started at Givaudan’s Perfumery School in 1982 and he spent twelve years in this company. His first creation was Salvador Dali for man in 1987. Then he joined Firmenich New-York for almost ten years before coming back to Firmenich Paris for another five years.

In 2008 he became Creative Director of Guerlain. He’s also responsible for sourcing natural ingredients within the company.

Among his greatest achievements, are Hypnôse Lancôme and Diesel Fuel for life for her with Annick Menardo, Truth Calvin Klein with Alberto Morillas and Jacques Cavallier, the beautiful Dior Addict, Idylle and Santal Royal for Guerlain…

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Neutrogena Taps Tate McRae as Global Ambassador

Meredith Schott — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 15:14:37 +0000

On the heels of its 10th anniversary, the brand’s iconic Hydro Boost collection is revealing a juicy, fresh take.

Kenvue announced global sensation Tate McRae as the newest face of Neutrogena®. This announcement marks the debut campaign under Neutrogena’s bold new positioning, ‘Beauty to a Science,’ which exemplifies the brand’s 90-year history of developing advanced clinical science while designing incredible product experiences.

Neutrogena’s new campaign highlights products from its award-winning Hydro Boost range, including the Water Gel. This commemorates Hydro Boost’s 10th anniversary as one of the brand’s top-selling facial moisturizers, which jumpstarted the hyaluronic acid ingredient category. On average, a jar of Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel is sold every two seconds worldwide.¹

At just 21 years old, McRae has captivated audiences as a chart-topping artist and dancer. Now, as she prepares to release her third album, So Close to What, and hit the road for a world tour, the campaign shares her must-have secret to juicy skin: Neutrogena Hydro Boost.

“I’m thrilled to partner with Neutrogena — a brand I’ve trusted since I was young. What I love about this campaign is how real it feels. We’ve all been there — those moments where your brain just won’t stop spiraling, and the last thing you need is the overthinking messing up your skin,” said McRae, Neutrogena® Global Brand Ambassador. “That’s why I’m obsessed with Hydro Boost. It keeps my skin hydrated and is the perfect reminder that skincare doesn’t have to be complicated to work.”

Neutrogena engages best-in-class scientists and partners with leading dermatologists to develop breakthrough solutions that both advance clinical efficacy and provide incredible product experience. In the upcoming campaign, McRae stars alongside Neutrogena® Global Innovation Partner, Dr. Muneeb Shah, to highlight how stress and overthinking can affect skin.

“By featuring Tate and her infectious energy, alongside Dr. Shah, whose expertise helped to make him the most followed dermatologist on social media, we’re bridging the gap between beauty and science, creating a powerful message for the next generation,” said Andrew Stanleick, Kenvue’s President of Skin Health & Beauty in North America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. “With Neutrogena Hydro Boost, we’re redefining hydration and showing how skincare can empower you to feel your best every day.”

As a Neutrogena® Global Ambassador, McRae will be featured in marketing initiatives across multiple platforms, including TV, social, digital, point of sale, and will also integrate the brand into her own future projects. The campaign emphasizes Hydro Boost’s ability to enhance skincare routines with a weightless formula that magnifies the power of hyaluronic acid for juicy, deeply hydrated skin.

Kenvue Inc. is the world’s largest pure-play consumer health company by revenue. Built on more than a century of heritage, our iconic brands, including Aveeno®, BAND-AID® Brand, Johnson’s®, Listerine®, Neutrogena® and Tylenol®, are science-backed and recommended by healthcare professionals around the world. At Kenvue, we realize the extraordinary power of everyday care. Our teams work every day to put that power in consumers’ hands and earn a place in their hearts and homes. Learn more at www.kenvue.com.

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Mary Carmen Gasco-Buisson Appointed CEO of Unilever’s Prestige Beauty division.

Meredith Schott — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 00:51:56 +0000

Unilever has announced that Mary Carmen Gasco-Buisson has been appointed as the new CEO of its Prestige Beauty division. Gasco-Buisson will officially join Unilever on November 1, succeeding Vasiliki Petrou, who announced her resignation in June. She will report directly to Priya Nair, President of the Beauty & Wellbeing division.

Gasco-Buisson previously worked at Unilever, where she served as the global brand leader for popular personal care brands such as Axe and Lynx, managing their P&L. More recently, she was the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Executive Vice President of Global Business Units at jewelry brand Pandora, where she spearheaded high-profile campaigns featuring Pamela Anderson and established a partnership with the British Fashion Council. These achievements significantly elevated Pandora’s marketing strategy.

In addition, Gasco-Buisson brings over 20 years of experience in the beauty and prestige sectors, including her time at Procter & Gamble (P&G). Unilever has expressed confidence in her leadership, stating she has “strong experience building both entrepreneurial and more established brands, and is the right person to lead Unilever Prestige during this next phase of its growth journey.”

Gasco-Buisson expressed her excitement via Linkedin: “Unilever Prestige is a portfolio of 10 beautiful brands across skin, hair and colour cosmetics, built over the last 10 years by Vasiliki Petrou – a leader I know and respect enormously. I have worked in beauty for most of my career and I am thrilled to be returning to lead these brands and teams of entrepreneurial, talented and passionate people into the next chapter of growth.”

Under Petrou’s leadership, Unilever’s Prestige Beauty division has grown into one of the company’s key business pillars. The acquisition of brands such as Dermalogica in 2015 and the recent addition of K-18 Biomimetic Hair Science has strengthened Unilever’s presence in the premium beauty market.

However, the Prestige Beauty division has seen a slowdown in growth recently due to the deceleration of the U.S. market. In Unilever’s financial results for the first half of 2024, overall sales growth reached 7.1%, but the Prestige segment experienced some stagnation.

This new leadership announcement comes at a time when Unilever is reported to be considering selling off some of its Prestige brands, such as Ren and Kate Somerville, as part of the company’s broader strategy to streamline operations, improve profitability, and deliver more value to shareholders.

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Estée Lauder’s 2024 Breast Cancer Campaign

Meredith Schott — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 02:40:35 +0000

The Breast Cancer Campaign

The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign (The Campaign) unites and inspires people globally in its mission to help create a breast cancer-free world for all. Founded in 1992 by the late Evelyn H. Lauder with the launch of the iconic Pink Ribbon, The Campaign is The Estée Lauder Companies’ largest corporate social impact program. Together, The Campaign and The Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation have funded more than $131 million for lifesaving global research, education, and medical services with more than $103 million funding medical research through the Breast Cancer Research Foundation^® (BCRF). BCRF is dedicated to advancing the world’s most promising research to eradicate breast cancer.

Click here for more.

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Mark Loomis to retire from the Estée Lauder Companies; Tara Simon promoted to President, NA

Meredith Schott — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 02:50:18 +0000

The Estée Lauder Companies has announced that after more than 28 years with the Company, Mark Loomis, Group President, North America, will retire at the end of fiscal year 2025. He will be succeeded by Tara Simon, who will assume the role of President, North America, and Amber English, who will assume the role of President, Digital and Online, North America. Ms. Simon and Ms. English will assume their new roles beginning January 1, 2025 to ensure a seamless transition ahead of Mr. Loomis’ retirement. Ms. Simon will report directly to Fabrizio Freda, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Ms. English will jointly report to Fabrizio Freda and Gibu Thomas, Executive Vice President, Online.

Mark Loomis, Group President, North America, will retire at the end of fiscal year 2025 (Photo: Business Wire)

“Mark is a visionary leader who has driven meaningful impact through nearly three decades at the Company, promoting greater integration across our portfolio and regions, championing a commitment to our people and values, and inspiring excellence and creativity every day,” said Fabrizio Freda. “He guided the business strategy in North America, maintaining a steadfast focus on the consumer amid the shifting beauty landscape, and while leading our Asia/Pacificregion, he oversaw regional strategies that supported business acceleration and commercial operations to drive growth. We are grateful for his contributions and dedication to the Company.”

Mr. Freda continued, “As we embark on the next phase of growth for North America, Tara and Amber bring incredible experience that make them uniquely well-suited to capture the promise of this evolving market while advancing our strategy and ambitions. Together, their leadership marks a new chapter of growth in North America, by launching new products and taking existing ones to new audiences, fueled by relevant, compelling and differentiated marketing, and serving our customers wherever they prefer to shop.”

Tara Simon will assume the role of President, North America (Photo: Business Wire)

Ms. Simon will focus on executing the Company’s North America brick-and-mortar channel strategy, including specialty-multi, department stores, and free-standing stores. She joined The Estée Lauder Companies in 2020 as Senior Vice President, Global Manager, Too Faced, and was promoted to Global Brand President, California Brands, which includes oversight of Too Faced and Smashbox, where she focused on driving product and consumer engagement innovations. Ms. Simon is a recognized brand builder, focused on creating brand love and loyalty with a range of diverse consumers. A bold, authentic and highly collaborative leader, her energy and passion for fostering a culture of bravery drives agility, ingenuity and creativity within teams. Furthermore, her experience in achieving strategic gains specifically within the specialty-multi prestige beauty space, make her uniquely suited for this North America leadership role.

A successor to Ms. Simon’s role leading the Company’s California-based brands will be announced at a later date.

Ms. Simon joined The Estée Lauder Companies from Ulta Beauty, where she served most recently as Senior Vice President of Merchandising, Prestige Beauty. In this role, Ms. Simon was responsible for the successful business model evolution and elevation of Ulta Beauty’s prestige brands. As the leader of Ulta Beauty’s Prestige Merchandising Team, Merchandising Strategy Team, and Emerging Brands Team, Ms. Simon dramatically increased the number of prestige brands sold through the retailer by attracting exclusive launches from well-established powerhouse brands like M·A·C and Clinique, while also aggressively pursuing and successfully launching smaller start-up brands, resulting in increased consumer engagement and loyalty. Prior to her time at Ulta Beauty, Ms. Simon served as Divisional Merchandise Manager of Color at Sephora.

“I look forward to galvanizing the incredible North America team and leading a strategic framework to accelerate our iconic brands’ consumer reach and impact in beauty and culture,” said Ms. Simon. “As someone who is growth obsessed, I understand the industry is fiercely competitive, and evolving to continually engage a wide range of consumers for increased prestige beauty share is more important than ever. I look forward to working closely with Amber to identify and capture fast-growing distribution opportunities while bringing to market accelerated product innovations, scaling our hero products and responding to trends faster.”

Amber English will assume the role of President, Digital and Online, North America (Photo: Business Wire)

In her new role as President, Digital and Online, North America, Ms. English will oversee the continued acceleration of the Company’s digital-first transformation and omni-capabilities for North America, fueled by Online. She will drive a best-in-class strategy that supports consumer acquisition, retention and differentiated, exceptional brand experiences while leading all eCommerce activities in the region, including across the Company’s owned Brand.com properties, Retailer.com, and pure play Online retailers. Most recently, Ms. English has played an instrumental role in leading the Company’s initial brand launches in the U.S. Amazon Premium Beauty store, and has led the North Americadigital transformation focused on developing best-in-class digital experiences for consumers across owned Brand.com properties, Retailer.com and Amazon.

Ms. English joined The Estée Lauder Companies in 2022 from Amazon, where she most recently led the global Amazon Fashion Private Brands business, developing exclusive-to-Amazon brands and products across Apparel, Shoes, and Accessories. During her time at Amazon, she spent 14 years serving in various roles across Amazon Fashion, Beauty, and Consumables.

“We have a new chapter ahead of us, and I am excited to collaborate with Tara to advance the strategic direction of our North Americabusiness,” said Ms. English. “We will continue to prioritize recruiting new consumers, engaging consumers with captivating products, and approaching improvements and distribution with an eye towards scaling growth.”

“Mark has done a terrific job of leading the Company’s North America business throughout a highly complex, competitive, and fast-evolving landscape,” said William P. Lauder, Executive Chairman, The Estée Lauder Companies. “He has guided the business strategy and innovation agenda across brands and channels for the region, with a focus on unlocking emerging, granular opportunities. He will be greatly missed across the organization.”

Mr. Lauder continued: “I am thrilled to welcome Tara and Amber to these leadership roles. Tara’s deep experience within specialty-multi prestige beauty, coupled with her commitment and passion for consumer-focused brand building will enable our teams to push boundaries to grow and win. Amber is a dynamic eCommerce leader with a strong track record of developing bold strategies to attract and retain consumers. I know they will both leverage their extensive backgrounds in prestige beauty and commercial expertise to help drive our business in the dynamic North America region.”

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Westly Morris has been named Executive Director at Lebermuth

Meredith Schott — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 20:16:49 +0000

Industry Veteran Westly Morris to Lead Business Development Team at Lebermuth

New hire’s proven record of leadership and accomplishment will support growth and competitiveness of 116-year-old essential oil, fragrance, and flavor company

Leading essential oil, fragrance, and flavor solutions manufacturer Lebermuth has announced that Westly Morris joined the company as Executive Director, Business Development.

Morris has more than 25 years’ leadership experience in executive sales and account management across a range of product categories, with a proven track record of enhancing sales growth and winning key national accounts.

In his new role, he will be responsible for driving growth, building and mentoring the business development team, and expanding the company’s customer base across their diverse product portfolios.

“We are excited to have Wes join our team,” said Dan Grewe, Chief Revenue Officer. “His extensive work with multiple national fragrance companies, the business leadership he has demonstrated over the years, and his passion, humor, and work ethic all make him a great asset to Lebermuth and our ability to partner successfully with our customers.”

“I’m continually impressed at the magnitude of capabilities of this exceptional company with such a rich history,” said Morris. “Lebermuth is a top-notch quality organization with a great team of dedicated, passionate professionals. I’m confident we can effectively compete against anyone in the industry.”

Since 1908, Lebermuth has delivered essential oils, fragrances, and flavors that elevate mood, awaken memory, and spark imagination. Lebermuth combines technical and creative expertise with the widest selection of high-quality ingredients. With knowledge and passion, we guide our customers to the right scent and flavor formulations to solve their challenges, expand their portfolios, and elevate their brands. We partner with customers of all sizes to create exceptional sensory experiences for their consumers.

Learn more at www.lebermuth.com

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