10.08.21
Highlander Partners L.P., a Dallas-based private investment firm, has acquired RMS Beauty, a brand driving the industry shift to clean beauty.
Rose-Marie Swift founded her eponymous brand in 2009 after experiencing severe health issues. In her healing process and intensive research, she discovered that some of the toxic chemicals and heavy metals in her system were also found in many commonly used beauty products.
After rebuilding her own health, Swift realized she wanted to help other women claim their right to healthy, clean beauty and created the organic color cosmetic line. RMS brings the energy of raw, food grade, organic, and natural ingredients with life force to your skin.
Leadership Changes
David Olsen, a managing director at Highlander, will immediately assume the role of CEO of RMS. Olsen brings decades of beauty and digital retail leadership to RMS, with prior experience including CEO of luxury beauty retailer Cos Bar and Global VP of Net-A-Porter, where he launched the beauty business. Olsen has a longstanding relationship with RMS and with Rose-Marie, and when he joined Highlander in 2019 to help source and assess investments in the beauty industry, RMS was the first call made.
Olsen commented, "Like Rose-Marie herself, the RMS brand is unique. It was the prescient first-mover in clean beauty and continues to push the industry with its formulation standards. Yet it also creates the highest quality and most effective products, as you'd expect from a master makeup artist. With these attributes, RMS has an opportunity to scale considerably. We intend to revamp the brand, strengthen and expand RMS' extensive retail relationships, drive the DTC business, and enhance and broaden the product assortment."
Elaine Sack will move to the chief strategic officer role and work hand-in-hand with Rose-Marie and David through the transition. Ben Slater, a partner at Highlander, will serve as chairman of the Board.
Swift noted, "Highlander's operational expertise and creative approach to investing are unique and unparalleled, and they believe in our core ethos. I look forward to a great partnership."
Jeff L. Hull, president and CEO of Highlander Partners, added, "We have been exploring the beauty and personal care category in a meaningful way for the past two to three years. All of our efforts in assessing the beauty industry have led to an ideal investment with RMS. We believe RMS is the pioneer and leader in clean beauty and has significant growth opportunities, while also giving us optionality to create a larger clean beauty platform. It is our intention to continue to grow in this category through additional acquisitions."
Katten served as legal counsel to Highlander. William Blair & Company, L.L.C. served as the exclusive financial advisor and Giannuzzi Lewendon served as legal counsel to RMS.
Rose-Marie Swift founded her eponymous brand in 2009 after experiencing severe health issues. In her healing process and intensive research, she discovered that some of the toxic chemicals and heavy metals in her system were also found in many commonly used beauty products.
After rebuilding her own health, Swift realized she wanted to help other women claim their right to healthy, clean beauty and created the organic color cosmetic line. RMS brings the energy of raw, food grade, organic, and natural ingredients with life force to your skin.
Leadership Changes
David Olsen, a managing director at Highlander, will immediately assume the role of CEO of RMS. Olsen brings decades of beauty and digital retail leadership to RMS, with prior experience including CEO of luxury beauty retailer Cos Bar and Global VP of Net-A-Porter, where he launched the beauty business. Olsen has a longstanding relationship with RMS and with Rose-Marie, and when he joined Highlander in 2019 to help source and assess investments in the beauty industry, RMS was the first call made. Olsen commented, "Like Rose-Marie herself, the RMS brand is unique. It was the prescient first-mover in clean beauty and continues to push the industry with its formulation standards. Yet it also creates the highest quality and most effective products, as you'd expect from a master makeup artist. With these attributes, RMS has an opportunity to scale considerably. We intend to revamp the brand, strengthen and expand RMS' extensive retail relationships, drive the DTC business, and enhance and broaden the product assortment."
Elaine Sack will move to the chief strategic officer role and work hand-in-hand with Rose-Marie and David through the transition. Ben Slater, a partner at Highlander, will serve as chairman of the Board.
Swift noted, "Highlander's operational expertise and creative approach to investing are unique and unparalleled, and they believe in our core ethos. I look forward to a great partnership."
Jeff L. Hull, president and CEO of Highlander Partners, added, "We have been exploring the beauty and personal care category in a meaningful way for the past two to three years. All of our efforts in assessing the beauty industry have led to an ideal investment with RMS. We believe RMS is the pioneer and leader in clean beauty and has significant growth opportunities, while also giving us optionality to create a larger clean beauty platform. It is our intention to continue to grow in this category through additional acquisitions."
Katten served as legal counsel to Highlander. William Blair & Company, L.L.C. served as the exclusive financial advisor and Giannuzzi Lewendon served as legal counsel to RMS.
