Meet the CEOs of the Top 20 Global Beauty Companies

Despite a global environment disrupted by inflation and an uncertain economic and geopolitical atmosphere, the beauty industry continued to prosper in 2023. Growth was solid in most categories and consumer interest and engagement remained strong thanks in part to the guidance of CEOs at the Top 20 Global Beauty Companies who led their companies to success via sharpened strategies, corporate policies, executive appointments and more.
 
Following is a look at the key leaders who analyzed their companies’ strengths and weaknesses in order to fuel their critical decision-making processes. Some may be familiar, like Nicolas Hieronimus and Sue Y. Nabi, who are covered frequently on our site, but there are also many new faces on the list this year. (Please see Beauty Packaging’s annual report on the Top 20 Global Beauty Companies for additional info.)

1. Nicolas Hieronimus (L’Oréal)

Nicolas Hieronimus joined the L’Oréal Group in 1987 and was appointed Marketing Director of the Laboratoires Garnier in 1993. After an international career as General Manager of the Garnier Maybelline Division in the UK, General Manager France then International General Manager of L’Oréal Paris, and CEO of L’Oréal Mexico, Hieronimus was appointed as the General Manager of the L’Oréal Professional Products Division and joined the Executive Committee in 2008.
 
In 2011, he was appointed President of L’Oréal Luxe, a role that he held until the end of 2018. In 2013, Hieronimus became the General Manager of Selective Divisions (Luxury, Active Cosmetics, Professional Products). He was appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer of L’Oréal in charge of Divisions in May 2017. Hieronimus was then appointed Chief Executive Officer of L’Oréal on 1 May 2021. He has been a Director of L’Oréal ever since.
 
In 2023, Hieronimus was inaugurated into the Fragrance Foundation Hall of Fame.
 
More recently, he delivered the first-ever keynote from a beauty company at CES 2024.

2. Hein Schumacher (Unilever)

After more than 35 years at Unilever, Alan Jope stepped down as CEO of Unilever at the end of 2023. In his place, the company appointed Hein Schumacher as its new CEO.
 
Schumacher is a business leader with experience across multiple leading companies in the consumer goods industry. As CEO of Royal FrieslandCampina, he delivered significant portfolio and organization change as part of transforming it into a more focused, growth-driven and sustainable business.
 
Prior to joining Royal FrieslandCampina as CFO in 2014, Schumacher worked for H.J. Heinz for over a decade – during a time of significant change at the company – across the U.S., Europe and Asia. In his last four years at Heinz, he was based in China, where he led a turnaround of the Asia Pacific zone. Schumacher began his career in finance at Unilever, before joining Royal Ahold NV.
 
Unilever Chairman Nils Andersen said: “We are delighted to welcome Hein as our new Chief Executive, after an extensive, global search process. Hein is a dynamic, values-driven business leader who has a diverse background of experiences and an excellent track record of delivery in the global consumer goods industry. He has exceptional strategic capabilities, proven operational effectiveness, and strong experience in both developed and developing markets.”

3. Fabrizio Freda (The Estée Lauder Companies)

Fabrizio Freda has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Estée Lauder Companies since July 2009.
 
From March 2008 through June 2009, he was President and Chief Operating Officer and oversaw the Clinique, Bobbi Brown, La Mer, Jo Malone London, Aveda, and Bumble and bumble brands, and the Aramis and Designer Fragrances division. He also was responsible for the Company's International Division, as well as Global Operations, Research and Development, Packaging, Quality Assurance, Merchandise Design, Corporate Store Design, and Retail Store Operations.
 
Prior to joining ELC, Freda served in a number of positions of increasing responsibility at The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G), where he was responsible for various operating, marketing and key strategic efforts for more than 20 years. From 2001 through 2007, Freda was President, Global Snacks, at P&G. Freda also spent more than a decade in the Health and Beauty Care division at P&G.
 
From 1986 to 1988, he directed marketing and strategic planning for Gucci SpA. Freda is currently a member of the Board of Directors of BlackRock, Inc., a global asset management company.

4. Jon R. Moeller (Procter & Gamble)

Jon R. Moeller, formerly vice chairman and chief operating officer, succeeded David Taylor as Procter & Gamble’s president and chief executive officer, in November, 2021.
 
Moeller joined P&G in 1988. He has been a member of P&G’s global leadership team since 2009, serving as chief financial officer, chief operating officer, and vice chairman. Throughout his career, he has held various senior leadership roles in categories, sectors and regions, and helped build several of P&G’s core businesses. Moeller played a pivotal role in designing and implementing P&G’s portfolio, superiority, productivity and organization design strategy, as part of one of the most significant transformations in the company’s history.
 
Jon R. Moeller was also appointed as chairman of Procter & Gamble Company’s Board of Directors, effective July 1, 2022.

5. Bernard Arnault (LVMH)

Bernard Arnault is Chairman and CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton, the world’s leading luxury products group.
 
In 1989, Arnault became the majority shareholder of LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton, creating the world’s leading luxury products group. Arnault has been Chairman and CEO of the company since that date.
 
Arnault is also President of the Board of Directors of Groupe Arnault S.E. (his family holding company).
 
He has been awarded the honorary titles of Grand Officier de la Légion d’Honneur and Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, and was even knighted by the Queen.
 
Furthermore, he is one of the richest men in the world.

6. Masahiko Uotani (Shiseido)

Masahiko Uotani joined Shiseido in April, 2014 as the first Shiseido president appointed from outside of the company in its 140-year history. This decision reflected the board’s sense of urgency and determination to transform Shiseido. Uotani defined his mission as rejuvenating Shiseido so that the company becomes a major global player, building on the Japanese heritage it has cultivated for many years.
 
In November 2022, Uotani announced plans to retire within the next two years. In 2023, Uotani’s role changed to representative director, chairman and CEO.

7. Vincent Warnery (Beiersdorf)

Beiersdorf’s Supervisory Board appointed Vincent Warnery as the company’s new chief executive officer effective May 1, 2021.
 
Warnery has been a member of Beiersdorf’s Executive Board since 2017 and was previously responsible for the Pharmacy & Selective division with the Eucerin, Hansaplast, and La Prairie brands as well as the North American business.
 
Warnery has spent his entire professional life in the consumer health care and cosmetic industry. He started his career in marketing at Procter & Gamble in 1991. In 1996 he joined L’Oréal where he successively held various marketing positions as well as local and regional general management positions in Portugal, Germany, Latin America, Japan and France.
 
In 2011, he moved to Sanofi where he developed and led the Global Consumer Health Care Division until 2017. He then joined Beiersdorf where he took the responsibility for the Pharmacy & Selective brands (La Prairie, Eucerin, Hansaplast) and since 2020 the overall responsibility of Beiersdorf North America.

8. Gina Boswell (Bath & Body Works)

In November 2022, Bath & Body Works Inc.’s Board of Directors voted unanimously to appoint Gina Boswell as chief executive officer and a member of the Board, effective December 1, 2022.
 
Boswell has more than 30 years of experience, including extensive beauty and personal care leadership roles at global companies such as Unilever, Alberto Culver Company and The Estee Lauder Companies.
 
She brings deep expertise in sales, marketing, brand-building, and business development and strategy, along with strong operational experience and a demonstrated track record of delivering successful business outcomes. Known as a values-based leader, Boswell has led large cross-functional teams both domestically and internationally with a strong focus on team building.

9. Thibaut Mongon (Kenvue)

When Kenvue, formerly Johnson & Johnson’s Consumer Health business, split off from J&J through an exchange offer, the company named Thibaut Mongon as Chief Executive Officer.
 
A business leader with more than 20 years of global experience at Johnson & Johnson, Mongon had served as Executive Vice President and Worldwide Chairman of Consumer Health at Johnson & Johnson since 2019.
 
Mongon was a driving force behind the strong business momentum and world-class capabilities in the Consumer Health segment. His strategic vision led to the unlocking of significant value for the business through external partnerships and strategic acquisitions.
 
Mongon holds a degree in Business Administration from the KEDGE Bordeaux Business School, a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD and has lived in Europe, Latin America, Asia, and North America.

10. Fabio Barbosa (Natura & Co.)

Following a period of transformative acquisitions and the complex integration of its businesses, processes and a common sustainability vision, in 2022 Natura &Co announced a Group reorganization in line with its strategic direction to increase the accountability of the individual Business Units and brands—Natura, Avon, The Body Shop, and Aesop.
 
To this end, Roberto Marques, former Group CEO and executive chairman, stepped down from his roles and handed the reins to board member Fabio Barbosa.
 
Barbosa, who chaired Natura &Co's People Committee, is a recognized leader in sustainability. He brings extensive management experience, having served as CEO of the Abril publishing group from 2011 to 2015 and CEO of Santander Brazil from 2008 to 2011. He was previously President of the Brazilian banking federation Febraban from 2007 to 2011 and President of Banco Real/ABN Amro from 1996 to 2008.

11. Leena Nair (Chanel)

In December 2021, French fashion house Chanel appointed former Unilever executive Leena Nair as its new global chief executive, based in London.
 
Nair’s career at Unilever spanned 30 years, most recently as the chief of human resources and a member of Unilever’s executive committee. Nair was the first female, first Asian, youngest ever CHRO of Unilever. Under her leadership, Unilever was named the number one FMCG graduate employer of choice in 54 countries. She also headed the Diversity and Inclusion agenda for the organization ensuring that its workforce was diverse and inclusive.

12. Sue Y. Nabi (Coty)

Sue Y. Nabi, an experienced business leader and beauty entrepreneur, took over as Chief Executive Officer of Coty Inc. in 2020.
 
Nabi is a veteran in the beauty space, with 27 years of experience across key strategic focus areas for Coty. This includes a track record of success across the mass and luxury channels, and across the core fragrances, color cosmetics, and skincare categories, as well as successful brand building across key international markets.
 
Nabi began her career at L’Oréal in 1993, where she rose to become the youngest ever CEO of L’Oréal Paris. In 2009, she joined Lancôme – leading the brand to three years of up-to-double-digit growth and a record turnover of €3.2 billion. With Nicolas Vu, Nabi co-founded the super-premium, clean and vegan skincare brand and range Orveda, launching in 2017.
 
Recently, Nabi spoke to LinkedIn's CEO Ryan Roslansky on The Path podcast about how she landed her first job at L’Oréal.

13. Yoshihiro Hasebe (Kao)

Toward the end of 2020, Kao Corporation appointed Yoshihiro Hasebe as representative director, president and CEO.
 
Hasebe was previously representative director, senior managing executive officer of Kao. He joined the company in 1990 and has held several leadership positions.
 
In line with Kao's aim to be a company that "saves future lives," he strongly promotes the building of businesses that go beyond extensions of conventional businesses and the enhancement of operational productivity using digital technology.
 
He earned his Ph.D. from Tokyo University of Science.

14. Carsten Knobel (Henkel)

Carsten Knobel succeeded Hans Van Bylen as CEO of Henkel in January 2020.
 
Knobel joined Henkel in 1995 and has been on the management board since 2012, responsible for finance, purchasing and integrated business solutions.
 
He is also a member of the Supervisory Board of Lufthansa, Vice President of the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI), and a Member of the Presidium of the Federation of German Industries (BDI).

15. Suh Kyung-bae (Amorepacific)

Suh Kyung-bae joined Amorepacific in the 1980s and became CEO in 1997.
 
Under Suh’s leadership, Amorepacific has delivered several milestone achievements, such as a tenfold growth in sales and a 21-fold increase in operating profit. Furthermore, in 2017, Suh ranked 20th in the world and 2nd in Asia in Best-Performing CEOs in the World 2017 released by Harvard Business Review.

16. Lee Jung-ae (LG H&H)

In November 2022, LG H&H named Executive Vice President Lee Jung-ae as the new chief executive officer, replacing Cha Suk-yong after nearly 18 years of service.
 
Since joining LG H&H in 1986, Lee has been dedicated to consumer goods marketing, and is behind the success of cosmetics brands such as Whoo, O Hui and Sum 37, as well as refreshments such as Seagram.

17. Noel R. Wallace (Colgate-Palmolive)

Noel Wallace became President and Chief Executive Officer of Colgate-Palmolive in 2019 and Chairman in 2020.
 
He previously served as President and Chief Operating Officer from 2018 to 2019, responsible for all of the Company’s operating units worldwide. He joined Colgate-Palmolive in 1987 and progressed through a series of senior management roles around the world. He became President, Colgate North America and Global Sustainability in 2010, President, Colgate Latin America in 2013 and Chief Operating Officer, Global Innovation & Growth and Hill’s Pet Nutrition in 2016.

18. Ryan Rogers (Mary Kay)

On the eve of the company’s 60th anniversary in 2023, Ryan Rogers was named as the next chief executive officer of Mary Kay, following in the footsteps of his trailblazing grandmother, Mary Kay Ash, and his father Richard R. Rogers.
 
Rogers is a member of the company’s board of directors and currently serves as chief investment officer with responsibility for strategic direction, financial analysis, and resource allocation on key investments among the company’s domestic operations and international subsidiaries.
 
Rogers began his career as an associate in the Transaction Services Group of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Dallas. He joined Mary Kay Inc. in 2000 as a financial analyst and has held several positions including project manager, director of Strategic Initiatives, and vice president of Strategic Initiatives before assuming the role of chief investment officer in 2013. Since 2001, he has also served as vice president of The Mary Kay Ash Foundation.

19. Kazutoshi Kobayashi (Kose)

Kazutoshi Kobayashi is the president and CEO of Japanese cosmetics manufacturer and retailer Kose. His grandfather, Kosaburo, founded the company in 1946.
 
In 2022, Kobayashi announced that the Kosé Group was enacting VISION2026 for the purpose of providing guidelines for advancing to the next stage of growth as Kosé looks ahead to the 80th anniversary of its founding in 2026. The Kosé Group’s vision is to become a globally recognized and respected company with exceptional customer loyalty.

20. Elizabeth A. Smith (Revlon)

In August 2023, Debra Perelman stepped down from her role as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board.
 
In the meantime, Elizabeth (Liz) A. Smith has been appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer of Revlon, effective immediately, while Perelman will serve as an advisor to the company for a transition period.
 
Smith has served as Executive Chair of the Revlon Board of Directors since May 2023 and will continue in that role. Smith previously served as Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bloomin’ Brands, Inc., Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and President of Avon Products, Inc.