Strategy

Cosmetic Industry Deals: ELC/Biotech Partnership Will Further Lauder’s Skin Longevity Push; L’Oréal Cuts Ribbon On $160M US Innovation Center

 

Estee Lauder Companies collaborates with Serpin Pharma to explore anti-inflammatory innovation and skin longevity, while L’Oréal Group celebrates the grand opening of North America Research & Innovation Center with ribbon cutting event.

Unilever CEO’s Sudden Departure Has Investment Community Speculating

 

British consumer goods firm Unilever PLC announces it will replace CEO Hein Schumacher with CFO and Executive Director Fernando Fernandez 1 March.

Coty Establishes ‘Competitive Moat’ For Prestige Fragrance Against Upstarts, ‘Dupes’ – CEO

 

Coty Inc.’s ‘competitive moat’ against upstarts and ‘dupe” competition is a five-step strategy that includes investing in master perfumers over external suppliers and the use of ‘rare, exclusive’ ingredients in scents.

L’Oréal Heir Steps Down As Director After 28 Years; Plans to Hand Reins To Next Generation

 

L’Oréal Groupe announces company heir and 28-year Director Francoise Bettencourt Meyers plans to step down when her term expires at the end of the Annual General Meeting in April.


Estee Lauder’s Biggest Makeover Should Triple Innovation, Create ‘Flatter and Leaner’ Biz – CEO

 

New Estee Lauder President and CEO Stéphane de La Faverie unveils "Beauty Reimagined" restructuring effort to expand its recovery plan and unleash innovation to restore sustainable sales growth over next few years. The largest operational transformation in its history will include cutting up to 7,000 jobs and total charges of $1.2bn-$1.6bn, while grossing annual savings of $800m-$1bn.

Hungary’s Egis Picks Up Skin-Care Portfolio From Teva

 
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Egis is the beneficiary as Teva again trims its OTC portfolio with the sale of Hungarian skin-care brand Neogranormon.

Kenvue’s Carlton Lawson: Reverse-Switching Antimicrobials ‘Not The Answer’ To AMR

 
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Kenvue's EMEA and LATAM head Carlton Lawson acknowledges the urgency of environmental issues like antimicrobial resistance and wastewater pollution in this interview with HBW Insight, but calls for a more balanced approach on the part of European regulators.

Coty Signs Long-Term Fragrance Deal With Swarovski; Interparfums Will Develop Off-White Scents; Beauty Industry News

 

Coty Inc. and Austrian crystal house Swarovski enter long-term beauty license, with first scent slated to debut in 2026. Separately, Interparfums SA strikes deal with streetwear brand Off-White; More Industry News


A ‘Once-In-A-Lifetime Experience’ – Carlton Lawson On Kenvue’s Spin Out Journey

 
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Kenvue's EMEA and LATAM head Carlton Lawson reflects on the firm's 18 months of independence, pointing to significant investments and operational improvements as key milestones on its spin out journey so far.

Lauder’s ChatGPT Tools Improve R&D, Marketing Response Times More Than 90% – OpenAI

 

The Estee Lauder Companies, Inc. has introduced more than 240 GPT’s or ‘Generative Pre-trained Transformers’ for data processing and analysis within the company, resulting in R&D and marketing response times improving by more than 90%, says OpenAI.

Estee Lauder Shake-Up: Internal Exec Named CEO As William Lauder Steps Down As Exec Chair

 

The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. says new president and CEO Stéphane de la Faverie will lead in nurturing and building powerful prestige brands while also moving the firm forward “with speed and urgency.” William Lauder announces plans to step down from his role as executive chairman, while Jane Lauder reportedly has also decided to exit.

Ulta Revamps Strategic Priorities, Lowers Long-Term Outlook

 

Accelerating new store openings and adding 6 million more loyalty members are among Ulta’s newly unveiled strategic priorities. At the firm’s 16 October Investor Day, the retailer reported it is lowering its long-term outlook to account for “normalization” of the US beauty market post-COVID and increasing prestige competition.


Film, Social Media Plus Menopause, Postpartum Supplements Star In Women’s Health Launches

 

Bayer’s Midol and nonprofit Period. provide PeriodTalk campaign for awareness of the gaps in period education; “The M Factor” film coming day before World Menopause Day in October; Exeltis USA’s Blues Away provides postpartum mood support; and Doctor's Best Women's Collection includes menopause, sleep, digestive, heart and hair/skin/nails support products.

Over the Counter: Data Tech CEO On Digital Tools Driving Faster, More Sustainable Personal Care

 

In this episode of HBW Insight's Over The Counter podcast, we connect with Neil D’Souza, CEO of Makersite GmbH, a data software company based in Stuttgart, Germany that offers “next generation” product data management tools that help personal care and other industries manage product sustainability, cost and compliance.

Kenvue Doesn’t ‘See Consumers Downgrading’ As Analysts See US Private Label Sales Growing

 

“We have a relatively low exposure to private label to start with. But we don't see penetration of private label going up in 2024,” says CEO Thibaut Mongon. Recent research from analysts, though, shows increase in consumers turning to lower-priced health and personal care alternatives.

‘New Kenvue In Action Unleashed’ Isn’t The Business Consumers Remember From J&J

 

“We're significantly investing more in reaching more consumers, but we're doing it in a very different way,” says CGO Charmaine England. Brands may be “iconic,” but on their own they’re not driving sales growth, says CEO Thibaut Mongon.


Lauder’s Outgoing CFO Breaks Down Global Prestige Beauty, Firm’s Transition Moment

 

Global beauty giant is working to adapt its approach to the prestige market to meet escalating competition, increased points of sale, and more knowledgeable consumers with new shopping habits, CFO Tracey Travis said at the Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference.

P&G On SK-II Struggles In China: ‘We’re Ready To Come Back’

 

P&G has worked to ‘rebuild’ the SK-II brand in China over the past year with a focus on product quality, efficacy and the line’s core ingredient, as well as improved messaging, and recently launched SK-II's ‘most crafted, exclusive and luxurious skin care series’ to date, CFO Andre Schulten noted at the Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference.

Companies Facing Common Challenges On Road to EU Sustainability Compliance

 
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Key challenges facing companies working to implement the European Sustainability Reporting Standards have been identified by the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group. Onur Durmus, Partner at sustainability consultancy ERM, shares his thoughts on EFRAG’s findings and offers takeaways for firms that will be subject to the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.

Brushing Up For Oral Care Market Share, US Startups Launch Brushes, Toothpastes, Whiteners

 

Laifen, Opalescence Moon, Lewie and quip are among US companies with recent launches to boost their oral care market shares. Recent launch by Arm & Hammer global oral care brand also targets driving growth in the category.