People on the Move: Notable industry employment updates in Q2 2024
Shiseido Americas creates COO role for recently acquired Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare brand
Earlier this year, Shiseido Americas completed its acquisition of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare. Central to the company's long-term development plan for the newly acquired brand is the newly announced Chief Operating Officer role, which will be filled by Emmie Salaj, General Manager, Tory Burch Beauty.
Salaj brings over twenty years of industry experience to the position, including leadership in sales and marketing with BareMinerals, BUXOM, LVMH, and L'Oreal USA. Regarding her new role, Ron Gee, Shiseido Americas' President and CEO and Global M&A Leader, Shiseido Company, Limited, shared in a press announcement that "as we continue the important work of integrating the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare business into the Shiseido Americas framework, we are simultaneously laying the foundation for strategic expansion, leveraging the brand's enormous growth potential in North America and beyond…with this in mind, the creation of a Chief Operating Officer position for Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare will be key to our long-term growth ambitions."
He added that Salaj is "a strong fit for this new role," and that her "approach to leadership is as much defined by her ability to drive businesses to scale and identify new channels for growth, as by her unique capacity for developing motivated, energetic and talented teams."
Tom Ford Beauty appoints Dexter King as newest Senior Vice President, Global General Manager
Effective April 1, 2024, Dexter King has assumed the position of Tom Ford Beauty's Senior Vice President and global General Manager and joined The Estée Lauder Companies' Extended Executive Leadership Team. King has worked in numerous leadership roles with Tom Ford Beauty over the past nine years, including Senior Vice President (SVP), Global Marketing and Strategy and SVP, General Manager, International and Global Strategy.
Regarding the move, Guillaume Jesel, President and CEO Tom Ford and Luxury Business Development, The Estée Lauder Companies said in a press announcement that King's "multi-faceted leadership experience at TOM FORD BEAUTY has been instrumental in helping the brand achieve exceptional global growth," and "his deep understanding of luxury, the importance of aspirational local relevance, and his command of the strategic growth opportunities in the luxury sector make him well-suited to lead the continued global momentum of Tom Ford Beauty."
The release confirmed that King will lead the Tom Ford Beauty team in "all aspects of category, channel and geography strategic growth plans," focusing on "driving the brand's luxury beauty positioning through world-class innovation across makeup, fragrance and skincare and continue to elevate the brand's signature aspirational storytelling of modern luxury glamour and amplifying individual beauty."
L'Oréal USA names Silvia Galfo as US Luxe Division President
In mid-April of this year, L'Oréal USA appointed Silvia Galfo President of the L'Oréal Luxe Division in the US. She assumed the role formerly held by Megan Grant in May 2019 and previously served as L'Oréal USA's first-ever Chief Growth Officer for the Luxe Division.
About the recent appointment, L'Oréal USA's CEO and President of North America Zone, David Greenberg, shared in a press announcement that Galfo brings a wealth of experience to the role and that she is "a long-term L'Oréalian with a world view on beauty and luxury." He expressed his confidence in Galfo's "strong leadership and consumer orientation [which] will continue to drive the Luxe brand portfolio to new heights in the United States."
Giovanni Valentini named Amorepacific CEO for the North America Region
Effective June 1 of this year, Amorepacific has appointed industry veteran Giovanni Valentini as the CEO of Amorepacific's North America RHQ. In addition to his new role, Valentini will also "assume global brand holder responsibility for US-based brand Tata Harper Skincare, which was acquired by Amorepacific in 2022," the company's press release confirmed.
Valentini's previous beauty industry experience includes leadership roles with Armani Beauty, Kiehl's, and Unilever. Most recently, he served as General Manager of Lancôme USA within L'Oréal's Luxe Division. In his latest position as Amorepacific CEO for the North America Region, Valentini will be "tasked with spearheading the group's strategic vision, including strengthening the region's organizational structure, optimizing operations, and championing the business objectives of Laneige, Innisfree, and Sulwhasoo, as well as new-to-market brands," said the press release.
L'Oréal's David Greenberg elected as newest PCPC board chair
In May this year, the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) announced the election of L'Oréal USA's CEO and President of North America Zone, David Greenberg, as the organization's newest board chair. Greenberg brings more than 30 years of leadership experience at L'Oréal to the position, including "leading the L'Oréal Mexico Consumer Products Division, driving internal transformation as the senior vice president for human resources for L'Oréal USA, and, before becoming CEO of the largest subsidiary of the L'Oréal Groupe, leading and driving a major acceleration and business model transformation of the Professional Products Division in US and Canada," said the PCPC's press announcement.
About Greenberg's election as board chair, PCPC President and CEO Thomas Myers said in a press statement that Greenberg "is a visionary industry leader whose profound understanding of the beauty landscape and his commitment to innovation has driven substantial growth in every role he has held." As further detailed in the press announcement, "Greenberg's appointment marks a significant milestone in PCPC's history, following his long-time vice chairmanship role on the Board of Directors that championed the historical passage of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022, and will now shift to promoting the essential role beauty plays in society as a whole."
Sharon Personal Care builds US presence by expanding US team
Global beauty industry supplier Sharon Personal Care recently announced "that it is building its presence in the United States, adding staff to develop stronger relationships with customers in the critical US beauty market," a company press release. Sharon Personal Care confirmed that the expanded US team will now include "Mark Leasure as Regional Account Manager for the Western U.S., Paolo Andrea Gómez as Regional Account Manager for the Eastern US and Latin America, and Dana Surick as Marketing Manager."
It was confirmed that the new team members will join Pascal Yvon, who was hired at the beginning of 2023 as General Manager of the Americas to lead "business development and corporate strategy in the region, which includes a sales office and application laboratory in Lambertville, New Jersey."
Regarding the recent hirings, Yvon shared in a press statement that "with the addition of these talented industry veterans to our team, we are poised to continue to build our presence and to accelerate the development of new connections that are critical to our ongoing expansion in the pivotal US market."
Fragrance Creators Association appoints E. Janset Batibay as Director of Communications and Media Relations
Fragrance manufacturing trade association Fragrance Creators Association (FCA) has announced that E. Janset Batibay has assumed the organization's new Director of Communications and Media Relations role. As reported in the company's press release, Batibay most recently worked at "The Council for Inclusive Capitalism, where she championed a robust engagement and outreach strategy for member growth initiatives," and she brings a wealth of PR and communications experience to the position.
In the press announcement about her new appointment, Farah K. Ahmed, FCA's President and CEO, stated that "Batibay's expertise will enhance and accelerate the association's priorities—to responsibly steward industry and promote policies and regulations that are good for people, perfume, and the planet—effectively for all audiences."
