On Thursday night, we hosted a lovely dinner in the early warming festive glow of The Marylebone Hotel to celebrate, ‘The Beauty Game Changers’. This is a publication created in collaboration with CEW UK, that brings together some of the leading voices in the beauty sector to share their knowledge and insights, personal stories, learnings and vulnerabilities, to inspire future leaders. The beauty industry is one that is growing rapidly; the global market grew by 10% in 2023 and is expected to reach $590 billion with an annual growth rate of 6% by 2028. Skincare is the largest category, accounting for 44% of the market as consumers become more engaged in the science behind their products. Sitting down with these leaders in the beauty space, they shared their career journeys as well as advice for aspiring industry leaders.
A theme that ran throughout our conversations was the importance of leadership and personal growth and how this was the key to continued progression. Taj Giles, Managing Director of Blink Brow Bar said great leadership is, “crucially, about empowering people”. A number of leaders highlighted the significance of having a confident team around them and the role they needed to play in making sure that was the case. Monica Rastogi, Regional Director, Inclusion, Diversity and Cultural Relevancy at The Estée Lauder Companies UK & Ireland explained: “Everyone wants to feel seen and heard, so empowering your teams to lead from where they sit is key.” Hind Sebti, Founder of Waldencast, which owns brands including Milk Makeup, took this one step further, also placing value on being confident in one’s own ideas. She said: “I believe great leadership starts with having a vision, and then empowering and enabling its execution. You need both vision and execution to succeed”.
In order to reach a place where they felt confident in their visions and leadership skills, many talked about pushing themselves out of their comfort zones. For some, this meant moving abroad whilst for others, it meant switching to the beauty sector from other industries or starting their own businesses. In whichever way it presented itself, it led to growth that was central to developing a successful career. Former Chief Executive Officer of Unilever Prestige, Vasiliki Petrou put it like this: “For me, it’s always – are you growing or not? Are you comfortable? Are you pushing yourself? It could be in leading people; it could be in a different sector. If you’re comfortable, you are not growing.” Asking “why not?” instead of saying no was key for Lauren Brindley, Chief Executive Officer of Revolution Beauty, while Former Chief Executive Officer at Elida Beauty, Jean-Laurent Ingles said: “Often being in your discomfort zone makes you realise where you can really add value.”
“I believe great leadership starts with having a vision, and then empowering and enabling its execution. You need both vision and execution to succeed.”
For those that took on positions globally, immersing themselves in different cultures was a pivotal building block in their leadership development. “Having worked across a multitude of cultures, I’m deeply attuned to listening to what’s unsaid, leaning-in and tweaking my personal style while staying true to myself,” said Manashi Guha, Chief Growth Officer at L’Oréal, UK & Ireland. On the entrepreneurial side, Maria Hatzistefanis started The Rodial Group with £20,000 of savings and no further investment. By pushing herself outside of her comfort zone she was able to found The Rodial Group which is now available in 35 countries and encompasses two brands.
Lots of the leaders we spoke to didn’t have a straightforward path to their current roles and many advocated for gaining a variety of experiences with less of a focus on a linear career. Neither Liz Griffiths, Managing Director UK & Ireland at ghd or Dianna Tieu, Managing Director UK & Ireland, L’Occitane had a career that went from A to B, and both advised future beauty leaders to place less value on promotions and more value on learning. Liz says: “It’s a marathon, not a sprint. My sideways move from marketing to commercial early on in my career was the best thing I ever did and gave me a rounder, deeper understanding of how an organisation can succeed,” while Dianna advises: “See your career as a jungle gym, not a ladder. Often, most growth comes from lateral or even downward moves that broaden your experience.”
“You have to stay curious and humble enough to absorb knowledge from all levels.”
Fundamentally, the most successful leaders are those that innovate and look to disrupt. For Josh Wood, Founder and Creative Director of Josh Wood Colour and Brad Horowitz, Chief Executive Officer of MALIN+GOETZ, working unconventionally and never standing still is key to an innovative and continuously progressing company. Brad explains: “Keep learning. You can’t become static in such a fast-changing industry.” And when it comes to learning, a number of leaders talked about reverse mentoring. “I learn a lot from my employees, especially younger ones who grew up in the digital era,” Brad continues. “You have to stay curious and humble enough to absorb knowledge from all levels.”
Keeping up with an increasingly digital world has meant leaders are leaning on others who have specialist knowledge. Chief Executive Officer EMEA at Shiseido, Alberto Noé says: “The beauty industry is constantly evolving, with increasing focus on innovation, sustainability and digital transformation.” Monica agrees, highlighting how useful it can be for diversity and inclusion. “Leveraging technology for inclusive design unlocks the ability to better serve existing consumers while fostering brand love with new segments,” she says. “It’s not just about the products, but also thinking about the experiences and services that can be elevated through innovative solutions.”
The diversity and inclusion element is one that was discussed in each of our conversations and the general consensus among leaders was that D&I has progressed over the last couple of decades but there is still a way to go. Chief Executive Officer of Orveon Global, Neela Montgomery said: “In beauty specifically, the industry has historically been driven by luxury, which is not very diverse, so for years there’s been a disconnect between those making the decisions, building brands, and creating the aspirational image of beauty, and those actually buying the products. It’s been fantastic to see this change in the last few years. Authenticity is now in demand.” Sandra Vallow, Director of Merchandising, Beauty at QVC UK, agrees, saying: “We’ve still got a way to go in the beauty industry as a whole, but it’s fantastic to see the progress that has been made over the last few years.”
Each leader who contributed to ‘The Beauty Game Changers’ highlighted how excited they were for the future of the sector, due to the advancement of technology, continued inclusion and the ever-evolving nature of the industry. However, they also noted a responsibility because of the deep-rooted connection that beauty has to culture and identity and its position in influencing societal norms and values, whether that’s beauty standards or inclusivity.
As the sector continues to rapidly grow, it is the people leading the way now, these game changers, and those who will take over the mantle in the future, that will shape the industry for years to come. We’d like to thank all participants, and hope all readers take as much inspiration from this collection as we have.
