Estée Lauder
The American beauty group Estée Lauder has announced two new executive appointments:
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Franck Besnard has been promoted from General Manager of France and the Benelux region to General Manager of Northern and Western Europe.
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Brendan Riley has been appointed as Senior Vice President of Global Communications, a newly created role within the group.
Franck Besnard has been with Estée Lauder for twenty years. He previously served as General Manager of Aramis & Designer Fragrances, General Manager of Clinique France and the EMEA region, as well as Vice President and General Manager of the Middle East region, and President of Estée Lauder France. Prior to joining the company, he worked as National Sales Director at the French high jewelry brand Boucheron.
Brendan Riley has spent the past decade as a partner at Brunswick Group, a strategic communications and corporate advisory firm, and was previously Vice President at consulting firm Teneo Holdings. In his new role, Riley will oversee internal and external digital communications, media relations, and initiatives related to the value chain, technology, and innovation. He will report to Meridith Webster, Executive Vice President of Global Communications and Public Affairs.
These appointments are part of a transformation initiative led by CEO Stéphane de La Faverie, aimed at revitalizing the group’s performance amid slowing consumer spending.
dsm-firmenich
Global fragrance and flavor giant dsm-firmenich has announced the appointment of Jonathan Simon as President of Fine Fragrance, effective July 1.
Jonathan Simon joined Firmenich in 2020 to oversee the global beauty and personal care business for major client P&G. Since March 2024, he has served as Global Vice President for the P&G account.
Prior to joining Firmenich, Simon spent 11 years at French beauty giant L’Oréal Group, where he held several roles including Global Product Manager for Cacharel and Lancôme Fragrances, Global Product Manager and later Vice President of L’Oréal Paris North Asia, and Global Vice President of Garnier.
Emmanuel Butstraen, Chief Operating Officer and President of Perfumery & Beauty at dsm-firmenich, stated, “Jonathan will lead our Fine Fragrance business into a new era, reinforcing our leadership while continuing our transformation, driven by innovation and sustainability. His deep understanding of the luxury segment, passion for products, and client-centric mindset will make a real difference.”
The Body Shop
British vegan beauty brand The Body Shop has announced that its major shareholder, UK-based beauty billionaire of Indian descent Mike Jatania, will take over as CEO, succeeding Charles Denton.
In September 2024, Mike Jatania and Paul Raphael, a former executive at UBS, Credit Suisse, and Merrill Lynch, co-founded the growth investment firm Auréa, which acquired all assets of The Body Shop from Brazilian beauty group Natura. Following the acquisition, Jatania became Chairman of the brand and appointed Charles Denton, former CEO of Kao Group’s UK personal care and fragrance brand Molton Brown, as CEO.
In a statement, The Body Shop noted that this leadership change comes after a year of “stabilization and revival.” Over the past year, Denton helped the company regain its footing and reconnect with its global customer base. Having completed the initial phase of the brand’s turnaround plan ahead of schedule, Denton will now step down.
Henkel
German consumer goods giant Henkel has announced the appointment of Rajat Agarwal as President of North America, effective July 1.
Agarwal joined Henkel in 1997, beginning as a research scientist in the Adhesive Technologies automotive division. He later served as Vice President of Product Development and Innovation, and from 2020 to 2024 was President of Henkel Greater China. He then returned to the United States to serve as Vice President of the Adhesive Technologies Packaging division.
In his new role, Agarwal will focus on strengthening Henkel’s position in North America, the company’s largest market.
Shiseido
Japanese beauty giant Shiseido has announced a new round of executive appointments, effective August 1:
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Makoto Toyoda has been appointed Deputy Chief Information Technology Officer.
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Tatsuki Nagao has been appointed Vice President of the Corporate Transformation Acceleration Division.
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Atsushi Yasuda has been appointed Vice President of the Business Transformation Division.
Tatsuki Nagao joined Shiseido in 2010 as Managing Director of Shiseido Vietnam, and later served as General Manager for the Asia-Pacific and South America region at U.S. cosmetics brand Bare Escentuals, which is owned by Shiseido. He then became Managing Director of Shiseido Thailand and President and Vice Chairman of the Board of Shiseido Taiwan. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Development.
Atsushi Yasuda joined Shiseido in 2006, beginning in the product and supply chain division before becoming General Manager of Finance. His most recent role was Special Vice President of the Business Transformation Division.
Davines Group
Italian beauty and haircare manufacturer Davines Group has appointed Denise Dente as Global General Manager of its skincare division Comfort Zone.
Dente brings 18 years of experience in the beauty and personal care sector. She previously served as Business Development Director at international beauty brand incubator Maesa, and also held General Manager roles at U.S. cosmetics brand Revlon and skincare brand IMAGE Skincare.
| Source: Premium Beauty News, Cosmetics Business, Fashion Network, official Shiseido announcements, and executives’ LinkedIn profiles
| Image CrExecutives’tives’ LinkedIn profiles
| Editor: LeZhi
