Jamie Matusow, Editor-in-Chief11.01.21
In a year like no other, beauty industry leaders in top positions had their work cut out for them, when dealt the double blows of the closures of brick-and-mortar and duty-free travel retail. Several powerful executives immediately rose to the public need, turning factories into hand sanitizer-producing facilities. Others helmed a swift move to accelerate e-commerce and m-commerce, to reach consumers around the world. Ultimately, along with their teams, these seasoned professionals succeeded in keeping net sales stable—or even boosting them beyond the expected.
Now, for various reasons—including term limits, personal issues and filling open spots—more than a quarter of the CEOs steering the Top 20 Global Beauty Companies on Beauty Packaging’s 2020-2021 annual list are passing the torch—or will be by the start of 2022.
In the midst of the pandemic, new CEOs were announced at L’Oréal (Nicolas Hieronimus replaces Jean-Paul Agon); at Beiersdorf (Vincent Warnery replaces Stefan De Loecker); at Shiseido Americas, Ron Gee took over the role; P&G named John R. Moeller as president and CEO; and in late August, Johnson & Johnson announced that Joaquin Duato would take over for Alex Gorsky in January 2022. At Kao, Yoshihiro Hasebe became representative director, president and CEO.
Among his many professional achievements, Hieronimus became marketing director for the Laboratoires Garnier in 1993, and created the Fructis haircare range. In 1998, he became general manager of the Garnier Maybelline division in the UK. In 2000, he was named general manager, L'Oréal Paris France, and then international general manager for L'Oréal Paris, which he repositioned as the "accessible luxury" brand. In 2008, he became general manager of the L’Oréal Professional Products Division and he increased its global leadership, driven in particular by the launch of Inoa hair color. In January 2011, he was appointed president, L’Oréal Luxe. In addition to this role, he took up his new position as President Selective Divisions (Luxury, Active Cosmetics, Professional Products, The Body Shop) in July 2013.
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.
De Loecker wished his successor “all the best and every success on the journey ahead.”
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.
As regional CEO, Gee is responsible for driving Shiseido Americas’ strategic vision, in addition to strengthening the region’s organizational structure, optimizing operations and championing its ambitious business objectives. He will continue to lead a portfolio of prestige beauty businesses and will assume global brand holder responsibility for Shiseido’s Americas-based brands including bareMinerals, BUXOM, Drunk Elephant, Laura Mercier, NARS Cosmetics and Tory Burch Beauty, as well as oversight of the region’s shared service functions. He will also lead the company’s commercial businesses in the U.S. and will oversee subsidiaries in Latin America and Canada.
A nearly 20-year veteran of the beauty industry, Gee has overseen businesses across all categories, including makeup, skincare, fragrance and haircare, and in all channels, including luxury/prestige, mass market and salon.
Prior to joining Shiseido Americas, Gee served as chief financial officer of the Americas at Coty Inc., where he was responsible for leading the region’s strategic plan and commercial execution across all businesses and multiple manufacturing sites.
Earlier in his career, he served in various financial leadership positions at L’Oréal USA, working on brands such as Maybelline, Garnier, Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren and Yves Saint Laurent.
(On November 1, 2021, Taylor will become Procter & Gamble’s executive chairman.)
James McNerney, lead director of P&G’s Board, expressed the Board’s confidence in Moeller. “Jon has been an integral part of P&G's leadership team for well over two decades, helping develop the strategies that P&G people are executing with excellence to drive P&G’s growth and value creation,” McNerney said. “He is an outstanding leader, and the company will benefit from his ongoing leadership to build on the strong momentum he has helped create over the last few years.”
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.
Following the transition of the chief executive officer role, Duato will also be appointed as a member of the company’s Board of Directors. Duato has extensive experience in Pharma—and in Consumer, is known for supporting science-based brands that are endorsed by professionals.
At the time of the announcement, Gorsky commented: “I have the utmost confidence in Joaquin to lead Johnson & Johnson as the company’s next CEO. Over our more than 25 years of working together, he has always demonstrated a passion for solving complex medical and business challenges.”
“I am honored to serve as Johnson & Johnson’s next CEO,” commented Duato. “I have had the pleasure of working closely with Alex for many years and thank him for his outstanding leadership. I am pleased that I will continue to benefit from his guidance and insights moving forward. Above all I am excited to be leading the best team in the industry, and I am confident that we will continue to be guided by Our Credo in everything we do.”
Sawada was formerly the representative director, president and CEO at Kao. He joined the company in 1981 and has held a variety of executive leadership positions.
Hasebe was previously representative director, senior managing executive officer of Kao. He joined the company in 1990 and has held several leadership positions. He earned his Ph.D. from Tokyo University of Science.
According to Kao, the reason for the changes was “to drive further growth and increase corporate value under new leadership amidst drastic changes in the business environment.”
Now, for various reasons—including term limits, personal issues and filling open spots—more than a quarter of the CEOs steering the Top 20 Global Beauty Companies on Beauty Packaging’s 2020-2021 annual list are passing the torch—or will be by the start of 2022.
In the midst of the pandemic, new CEOs were announced at L’Oréal (Nicolas Hieronimus replaces Jean-Paul Agon); at Beiersdorf (Vincent Warnery replaces Stefan De Loecker); at Shiseido Americas, Ron Gee took over the role; P&G named John R. Moeller as president and CEO; and in late August, Johnson & Johnson announced that Joaquin Duato would take over for Alex Gorsky in January 2022. At Kao, Yoshihiro Hasebe became representative director, president and CEO.
Nicolas Hieronimus
At L'Oréal (No. 1 on our list), seasoned executive Nicolas Hieronimus replaced Jean-Paul Agon as CEO on May 1. Hieronimus is the sixth CEO in company history. During his 34-year career with L'Oréal, Hieronimus has held a number of positions, most recently as the No. 2 executive at the company. He has been with the company since 1987 when he joined as product manager, upon graduating from one of France's top Business Schools, ESSEC. According to the Group, during Hieronimus’s 30-year career at L'Oréal, he is credited for having developed the skin care business, primarily with the creation of Dermo Expertise, Solar Expertise and Men Expert.Among his many professional achievements, Hieronimus became marketing director for the Laboratoires Garnier in 1993, and created the Fructis haircare range. In 1998, he became general manager of the Garnier Maybelline division in the UK. In 2000, he was named general manager, L'Oréal Paris France, and then international general manager for L'Oréal Paris, which he repositioned as the "accessible luxury" brand. In 2008, he became general manager of the L’Oréal Professional Products Division and he increased its global leadership, driven in particular by the launch of Inoa hair color. In January 2011, he was appointed president, L’Oréal Luxe. In addition to this role, he took up his new position as President Selective Divisions (Luxury, Active Cosmetics, Professional Products, The Body Shop) in July 2013.
Vincent Warnery
In April 2021, the supervisory board of Beiersdorf AG and chief executive officer Stefan De Loecker, mutually agreed on the termination of De Loecker’s executive board mandate effective June 30, 2021. The 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.
De Loecker wished his successor “all the best and every success on the journey ahead.”
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.
Ron Gee
In July 2021, Shiseido Company Limited announced the promotion of Ron Gee to president & CEO of Shiseido Americas. In addition, Gee will continue to serve as global M&A leader for Shiseido Group. Gee previously served as Interim CEO and as CFO, having held the latter position since 2016. He will continue to report to Masahiko Uotani, president and group CEO of Shiseido Company Limited.As regional CEO, Gee is responsible for driving Shiseido Americas’ strategic vision, in addition to strengthening the region’s organizational structure, optimizing operations and championing its ambitious business objectives. He will continue to lead a portfolio of prestige beauty businesses and will assume global brand holder responsibility for Shiseido’s Americas-based brands including bareMinerals, BUXOM, Drunk Elephant, Laura Mercier, NARS Cosmetics and Tory Burch Beauty, as well as oversight of the region’s shared service functions. He will also lead the company’s commercial businesses in the U.S. and will oversee subsidiaries in Latin America and Canada.
A nearly 20-year veteran of the beauty industry, Gee has overseen businesses across all categories, including makeup, skincare, fragrance and haircare, and in all channels, including luxury/prestige, mass market and salon.
Prior to joining Shiseido Americas, Gee served as chief financial officer of the Americas at Coty Inc., where he was responsible for leading the region’s strategic plan and commercial execution across all businesses and multiple manufacturing sites.
Earlier in his career, he served in various financial leadership positions at L’Oréal USA, working on brands such as Maybelline, Garnier, Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren and Yves Saint Laurent.
John R. Moeller
Jon R. Moeller, vice chairman and chief operating officer, Procter & Gamble, succeeds David Taylor as Procter & Gamble’s president and chief executive officer, effective November 1, 2021. Moeller has also been appointed to the company’s Board of Directors.(On November 1, 2021, Taylor will become Procter & Gamble’s executive chairman.)
James McNerney, lead director of P&G’s Board, expressed the Board’s confidence in Moeller. “Jon has been an integral part of P&G's leadership team for well over two decades, helping develop the strategies that P&G people are executing with excellence to drive P&G’s growth and value creation,” McNerney said. “He is an outstanding leader, and the company will benefit from his ongoing leadership to build on the strong momentum he has helped create over the last few years.”
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.
Joaquin Duato
Johnson & Johnson announced a change of leadership in August 2021—transitioning from Alex Gorsky (has served as chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson & Johnson since 2012), to Joaquin Duato, currently vice chairman of the company’s executive committee, effective January 3, 2022. Gorsky said he was leaving to “focus more on my family due to family health reasons.”Following the transition of the chief executive officer role, Duato will also be appointed as a member of the company’s Board of Directors. Duato has extensive experience in Pharma—and in Consumer, is known for supporting science-based brands that are endorsed by professionals.
At the time of the announcement, Gorsky commented: “I have the utmost confidence in Joaquin to lead Johnson & Johnson as the company’s next CEO. Over our more than 25 years of working together, he has always demonstrated a passion for solving complex medical and business challenges.”
“I am honored to serve as Johnson & Johnson’s next CEO,” commented Duato. “I have had the pleasure of working closely with Alex for many years and thank him for his outstanding leadership. I am pleased that I will continue to benefit from his guidance and insights moving forward. Above all I am excited to be leading the best team in the industry, and I am confident that we will continue to be guided by Our Credo in everything we do.”
Yoshihiro Hasebe
Toward the end of 2020, Kao Corporation appointed Michitaka Sawada as director, chair; and Yoshihiro Hasebe as representative director, president and CEO.Sawada was formerly the representative director, president and CEO at Kao. He joined the company in 1981 and has held a variety of executive leadership positions.
Hasebe was previously representative director, senior managing executive officer of Kao. He joined the company in 1990 and has held several leadership positions. He earned his Ph.D. from Tokyo University of Science.
According to Kao, the reason for the changes was “to drive further growth and increase corporate value under new leadership amidst drastic changes in the business environment.”