Isabelle Gex appointed as Shiseido President of Global Fragrances

Gex’s career spans over 25 years in the world of beauty and perfume

Seasoned beauty business executive, Isabelle Gex, has been hired by Shiseido as President of Global Fragrances starting 11 June. In this new role, Gex – a former high flyer with LVMH and Chanel – is tasked with expanding Shiseido’s fragrance business worldwide.

Gex will manage Dolce & Gabbana, Narciso Rodriguez, Issey Miyake, Elie Saab, Zadig & Voltaire, Alaïa and Serge Lutens. She will also oversee Shiseido’s Fragrance Center of Excellence based in Paris, France.

She will create a fragrance growth strategy by developing a category vision and mid-term plans. External growth opportunities through brand and/or licence acquisitions are also part of the brief. “Setting and steering strategy to accelerate the growth of fragrances across all regions is a fabulous challenge and unique opportunity to shape the future,” said Gex.

Shiseido’s three-year growth plan (2018-2020) prioritises an improvement of profitability in the company’s Americas and EMEA businesses. This will depend, in part, on the stable growth of its smallest segment: the fragrance business through a “prestige first” strategy. Fragrances currently account for 14% of Shiseido’s total prestige sales and the company is targeting +9% CAGR for fragrance for the period 2017-2020.

Shiseido Company President & CEO Masahiko Uotani commented: “The addition of Isabelle to our global management leadership team is a significant step to accelerate the growth of our fragrance business to achieve our aspirations toward, and beyond, 2020. Her rich experience in the global beauty business as well as entrepreneurial spirit will play an important role in the next stage of the transformational journey of Shiseido.”

Reporting lines

Global Brand VP Dolce & Gabbana Audrey Briotet and Global VP Designer Brands, Serge Lutens & Fragrance Center of Excellence Guillaume Gellusseau will both report to Gex. Gex will report to Shiseido EMEA President & CEO Franck Marilly and to Uotani.

Marilly said: “Isabelle is a highly-respected industry executive with a successful multi-track record of fragrance launches and expertise that will benefit our entire brand portfolio. I am sure that her visionary, strategic and strong brand management skills in combination with her customer-centric know-how and digital/e-commerce driven approach will allow us to reach our high expectations for the fragrance category.”

Gex’s career spans over 25 years in the world of beauty and perfume. Prior to joining Shiseido, she was CEO and Founder of Stratlux and an active business angel investing and advising different start-ups providing innovative technologies in the luxury market.

Previously she held leadership roles at Chanel and LVMH including the role of Global President, Parfums Luxe International – Fendi Perfumes and Pucci Parfums where she also had travel retail responsibilities.

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