The CEOs of the beauty industry are (almost) all males

When we say beauty industry, what comes to mind? The answers can vary. Some think of skincare, others of makeup, or wellness and self-care. Some think of content creators and their tutorials and Get Ready With Me videos, the business that keeps growing and diversifying. Others may think of perfumes. Few, however, likely think about the higher levels of the industry—the boardrooms, the sales and acquisitions, what we might colloquially call "the money flow" behind an industry that in recent years has outpaced others in terms of growth.

Beauty and Inclusion: A Long Road Ahead

Despite efforts—whether genuine or perceived, brand-driven or marketing-motivated—inclusion in beauty is still a distant goal. It remains so for men, whose usage is growing but slowly. It remains so for non-white individuals, who still have to fight for products and professionals knowledgeable about non-white skin and hair types. And it remains so—perhaps surprisingly—for women aiming to climb the corporate ladder in this industry. While the vast majority of customers are women, only a few women hold CEO positions in major beauty brands today. The number of non-white women CEOs is even smaller.

The (Few) Female CEOs in the Beauty Industry

According to the annual Top 100 ranking by Beauty Inc., only four of the largest beauty companies are led by women. Sue Nabi, named CEO of Coty in July 2020 and the highest-paid CEO in 2023; Leena Nair, who joined Chanel at the end of 2021; Gina Boswell, who has led Bath & Body Works since November 2022; and Jung Ae Lee, appointed by LG H&H in May 2023. The problem, however, extends beyond the beauty sector.

A Problem That Goes Beyond the Beauty Industry

In its Women in the Workplace 2024 report, McKinsey highlighted that while women have made progress at all levels of corporate structures over the past decade, these gains are fragile and likely to face significant slowdowns in the long term, especially for women of color. The report notes that increased female representation in leadership roles is often due to the addition of positions in areas like human resources, legal, and IT. This "solution" is not sustainable in the long term, as companies cannot continue to create new roles indefinitely. A shift in approach is needed, particularly in a sector that disproportionately serves a female clientele.

What Drives This Disparity and What Can Be Done?

Pauline Brown, founder of Aesthetic Intelligence, told WWD that the increasing "corporatization" of beauty companies partially explains the lack of female CEOs: "These beauty companies have become increasingly bureaucratized, distancing themselves from the core of their business and their actual customers. As a result, they resemble beauty companies less and less, and consumer goods conglomerates more and more." Additionally, the lack of such opportunities and the rise in independent beauty brands have driven many women to leave large companies to take on CEO roles at smaller brands. While this provides valuable experience, it is not always easy to return to a major corporation.

What Can Be Done? Experts interviewed by WWD Beauty Inc. agreed on the importance of providing women with profit-and-loss management experience early on. "At the vice-president and senior vice-president levels, many women hold roles in HR, finance, or other non-operational areas," explained Joelle Grunberg of McKinsey & Company. "The earlier they take on P&L responsibilities, even on a small scale, the sooner they enter the cycle of opportunities that expand in terms of scale and geography, paving the way to CEO positions." Companies must also offer support so women can accept these opportunities early in their careers, Grunberg added. "This doesn’t happen overnight; it’s a process that must be cultivated over years."