Procter & Gamble's specialty beauty CEO exits
John Brownlee, currently SVP of North America hair care, will absorb Walsh's duties while retaining his existing responsibilities, according to a WWD report.
Walsh took on the role as CEO of specialty beauty, whose brands include haircare brand Ouai, skincare brand Tula, and First Aid Beauty, in June 2023, one year after P&G launched the division in 2022.
Prior to that, Walsh served as CEO of Ouai for three years, after serving as CEO of DevaCurl and holding senior leadership roles at L'Oréal-owned Matrix and Redken, respectively.
Last year, Walsh co-founded gut health brand, YayDay, alongside his Ryan Lietar, Tula founder Dr. Roshini Raj.
'Being part of the creation and early development of specialty beauty has been a tremendous opportunity and will always be deeply meaningful to me,' said Walsh, in a statement obtained by the U.S. trade publication.
'I'm grateful for everything I've learned during my time with P&G and for the opportunities I've had to impact the growth and direction of this business, and especially coaching and empowering the talented and inspiring teams of specialty beauty.'
A P&G veteran with over two decades of experience at the consumer goods giant, Brownlee worked in varied leadership positions across oral care, skin care, and professional hair before overseeing the North America hair care business.
The executive played a crucial role in the U.S. company's acquisition of Mielle Organics, joining the firm's other haircare brands -- Herbal Essences, Head & Shoulders, Native and Pantene.
The leadership reshuffles comes just weeks after the world's largest consumer goods firm revealed plans to cut 7,000 jobs over the next two years.
The firm said it also plans to exit some product categories and brands in certain markets, including some potential divestitures, as part of the broader two-year restructuring plan.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fashion Network
2 days ago
- Fashion Network
Geox posts 4.7% revenue drop in H1 2025 as market conditions remain challenging
Italian footwear and lifestyle brand Geox began 2025 on a softer note, reporting first-half revenues of €305.3 million (£262.6 million), a 4.7% decline compared to the same period last year. Excluding the impact of store closures in the United States and China, the drop narrowed to 1.9%. Despite the revenue dip, the company posted improved profitability, with EBITDA reaching €34.2 million (£29.4 million), reflecting an 11.2% margin on sales—up from €29.1 million (£25 million) in the first half of 2024. 'The first half of financial year 2025 continues to be impacted by difficult macroeconomic conditions,' Geox said in a statement. 'Consumer spending remains weak, shaped by low confidence and a significant drop in demand. Despite this, we are staying focused on our Business Plan priorities—targeting more profitable markets, streamlining operations, and managing costs.' The company noted that these strategies are already improving operating margins and reinforcing confidence in its long-term plan. The Spring/Summer 2026 sales campaign began in May and will run through to September. Initial customer response has been positive, with the company citing strong interest in the updated style and commercial positioning of the collection. Geox also confirmed that it successfully completed the first phase of a €30 million (£25.8 million) capital increase outlined in its Financial Manoeuvre, with full shareholder participation. 'This result motivates us and confirms the path of revitalisation we are pursuing,' the company said. Revenue from wholesale channels totalled €100.6 million (£86.5 million), down 5.6%, while retail sales declined 2.1% to €124.1 million (£106.7 million). The company highlighted that several store closures took place during the period, but on a like-for-like basis, sales from its directly operated monobrand stores saw a slight increase. Digital sales—including the Geox-owned e-commerce platform and marketplace operations—dropped 7.4% versus the first half of 2024. Geographically, Italy grew 1.6% to €90.5 million (£77.8 million), supported by a 43.8% increase in online sales and stable retail performance (+0.2%). Sales in Europe slipped 1.1% to €144.7 million (£124.4 million), mainly due to weaker results in the DACH region and the Iberian Peninsula. Revenues from "Other Countries" reached €70.1 million (£60.3 million), a 17.5% decrease attributed largely to the absence of sales from the U.S. and China, which contributed approximately €9 million (£7.7 million) in H1 2024. The region was also impacted by ongoing challenges in Russia and nearby markets, although growth in Canada (+14.5%) and the Middle East and Africa (+18.6%) helped offset the decline. In terms of product categories, footwear continued to dominate Geox's business, generating 91.9% of total revenue. Shoe sales reached €280.7 million (£241.4 million), down 3.8% year on year. Apparel sales dropped 13.6% to €24.6 million (£21.2 million). (€1 = £0.86)
Fashion Network
3 days ago
- Fashion Network
Geox posts 4.7% revenue drop in H1 2025 as market conditions remain challenging
Italian footwear and lifestyle brand Geox began 2025 on a softer note, reporting first-half revenues of €305.3 million ($351.1 million), a 4.7% decline compared to the same period last year. Excluding the impact of store closures in the United States and China, the drop narrowed to 1.9%. Despite the revenue dip, the company posted improved profitability, with EBITDA reaching €34.2 million ($39.3 million), reflecting an 11.2% margin on sales—up from €29.1 million ($33.5 million) in the first half of 2024. 'The first half of fiscal year 2025 continues to be impacted by difficult macroeconomic conditions,' Geox said in a statement. 'Consumer spending remains weak, shaped by low confidence and a significant drop in demand. Despite this, we are staying focused on our Business Plan priorities—targeting more profitable markets, streamlining operations, and managing costs.' The company noted that these strategies are already improving operating margins and reinforcing confidence in its long-term plan. The Spring/Summer 2026 sales campaign began in May and will run through September. Initial customer response has been positive, with the company citing strong interest in the updated style and commercial positioning of the collection. Geox also confirmed that it successfully completed the first phase of a €30 million ($34.5 million) capital increase outlined in its Financial Maneuver, with full shareholder participation. 'This result motivates us and confirms the path of revitalization we are pursuing,' the company said. Revenue from wholesale channels totaled €100.6 million ($115.7 million), down 5.6%, while retail sales declined 2.1% to €124.1 million ($142.7 million). The company highlighted that several store closures took place during the period, but on a like-for-like basis, sales from its directly operated monobrand stores saw a slight increase. Digital sales—including the Geox-owned e-commerce platform and marketplace operations—dropped 7.4% versus the first half of 2024. Geographically, Italy grew 1.6% to €90.5 million ($104.1 million), supported by a 43.8% increase in online sales and stable retail performance (+0.2%). Sales in Europe slipped 1.1% to €144.7 million ($166.4 million), mainly due to weaker results in the DACH region and the Iberian Peninsula. Revenues from "Other Countries" reached €70.1 million ($80.6 million), a 17.5% decrease attributed largely to the absence of sales from the U.S. and China, which contributed approximately €9 million ($10.3 million) in H1 2024. The region was also impacted by ongoing challenges in Russia and nearby markets, although growth in Canada (+14.5%) and the Middle East and Africa (+18.6%) helped offset the decline. In terms of product categories, footwear continued to dominate Geox's business, generating 91.9% of total revenue. Shoe sales reached €280.7 million ($323.8 million), down 3.8% year over year. Apparel sales dropped 13.6% to €24.6 million ($28.3 million).
Fashion Network
3 days ago
- Fashion Network
Procter & Gamble replaces CEO Moeller with COO and long-time executive Jejurikar
The Cincinnati, Ohio-based company has a history of relatively short CEO terms, dating back to the mid-1990s. Moeller's predecessor David Taylor was CEO for six years, two of which were during the Covid pandemic when consumer goods companies faced product shortages and supply chain snags. Taylor then served as executive chairman of the board. Under Moeller, the company navigated a post-pandemic sales boom, as well as rising expenses and sticky inflation. P&G shares gained roughly 13% during his four-year tenure, in line with the S&P 500 index. The company, which makes Pampers diapers and Head & Shoulders shampoo, in April warned of higher product prices due to an increase in input costs from the trade war at a time of weakening consumer spending. Its stock is down about 6% so far this year. In June, the company said it would cut 7,000 jobs over the next two years and exit some product categories and brands in certain markets, including some potential divestitures, as part of a broader two-year restructuring plan. "It might not mean much to the outlook since they're promoting from within," said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management, which holds P&G shares. "This could be more like the passing of the baton in a long race rather than shaking things up." Jejurikar's appointment, effective January 1, 2026, keeps up with P&G's preference for naming internal candidates for the top job. Moeller had also risen through the ranks before becoming the COO and then CEO of the company. The board has nominated Jejurikar as a director at the annual shareholder meeting in October 2025. Jejurikar has held roles across multiple P&G businesses, including Health & Beauty Care and P&G Professional. Prior to his current role, he was the head of P&G's Fabric & Home Care, which includes brands such as Tide, Ariel and Downy.
