Estée Lauder announces Smashbox leadership team
Estée Lauder exec, Beth DiNardo, who has previously held leadership positions at several of the company’s brands including Clinique and Darphin, has been appointed to the position of Smashbox general manager.
“Beth has a proven track record of growing leading brands. She is recognized for her ability to identify talent and build and foster great teams,” said group president John Demsey.
DiNardo was also co-chair of the company’s Social and Digital media task force, an area in which Smashbox is particularly strong, said Estée Lauder.
DiNardo to work with existing Smashbox team
According to Estée Lauder, DiNardo will work closely with current Smashbox president Budd Taylor and the company’s co-founder and CEO, Dean Factor, and will report to Caroline Geerlings.
Geerlings, former senior vice president at Prescriptives, will be taking on responsibilities for new businesses, the company said. Her duties will include overseeing the integration of Smashbox into the Estée Lauder portfolio, extending the global footprint of the brand, and accelerating the development of new products, the company said.
Geerlings has previously held executive positions at MAC Cosmetics and Christian Dior Parfums, during an industry career that spans over 25 years.
Addition of Smashbox to Estée Lauder portfolio
Last month, the beauty giant announced the signing of an agreement to acquire the family-run cosmetics brand in order to target a younger demographic.
“We are energized by the promising momentum of Smashbox and believe that the brand will help attract new and younger customers to The Estée Lauder Companies all over the world,” Fabrizo Freda, president and CEO of Estee Lauder said at the time of the announcement.
Smashbox is a privately-held company that sells studio-inspired prestige cosmetic products that was founded by the great grandsons of make-up guru Max Factor.
The financial details of the acquisition, which is expected to be finalized in July 2010, were not disclosed.
