INTERNATIONAL. Japanese beauty house Shiseido today announced the appointment of Marc Rey as Chief Growth Officer, effective 1 January 2019.
Rey will retain his responsibilities as Shiseido Americas President and CEO. He will also oversee global M&A for the company in collaboration with the company’s headquarters in Tokyo.
Additionally, the company today unveiled a new Technology Acceleration Hub based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, whose leadership will also report to Rey. He, in turn, will continue to report to Shiseido President & CEO Masahiko Uotani.
In his expanded role, Rey will continue to identify opportunities for growth, both organically and through strategic acquisitions, to ensure growth remains at the core of the company’s present and future strategies, Shiseido noted.
“The very definition of beauty is being reinvented, and we are thrilled to be at the forefront of these transformations, helping to define the future of beauty.” – Marc Rey
To support Rey in his additional role, Ron Gee, currently Chief Financial Officer of Shiseido Americas, has been named Global M&A Leader for Shiseido. He will oversee a newly-established global M&A team to support the company’s acquisition strategy across all geographies and categories, including emerging technologies in cooperation with the company’s Tokyo headquarters.
Gee will continue to report to Rey and will work to build on the momentum created during the past few years during which time the company has been active in M&A.
Accelerating the role of technology and innovation
The new Technology Acceleration Hub is dedicated to creating “new disruptive models for consumer engagement and intimacy”, Shiseido said.
The Technology Acceleration Hub, designed to support new technological innovation efforts across the company and its global brand portfolio, will be led by seasoned technology executive and entrepreneur Jim Mainard.
Mainard, previously Executive Vice President of Digital Strategy and New Business Development at DreamWorks Animation, will join Shiseido Americas as President of the Technology Acceleration Hub on 12 November. He will also work closely with the company’s Digital Center of Excellence in New York City and the Global Innovation Center based in Japan, to “maximise the ecosystem and intersection of digital, innovation and technology within the company, Shiseido said. Mainard report to Rey.
“We remain firmly committed to global growth in our portfolio through digital acceleration, new business development and new value creation through innovation, acquisitions and partnerships.” – Masahiko Uotani
Shiseido President and CEO Masahiko Uotani said, “Shiseido is in the second phase of our VISION 2020 strategy, and we remain firmly committed to global growth in our portfolio through digital acceleration, new business development and new value creation through innovation, acquisitions and partnerships.
“During his tenure, Marc has led, with great success, acquisitions in both technology and traditional beauty which are helping to pave the way for Shiseido’s future growth toward 2020 and beyond. With Marc as Chief Growth Officer, we are ensuring that sustained growth remains at the forefront of our company’s strategy.
“With the support of a global M&A group headed by Ron, we are squarely focused on putting external growth at the core of our business strategy in the near and long term. I am confident that with this dedicated team in place, Shiseido will successfully enter the next chapter of our transformation.
“I’m also pleased to have Jim Mainard lead our Technology Acceleration Hub. Jim’s valuable expertise and experience will help us define how we build technology as a competitive advantage. I look forward to seeing the great impact this team has moving forward.”
Rey said, “There has never been a more exciting time in the beauty industry. A strong M&A strategy with continued development of new technologies is what keeps growth sustainable. Indeed, engagement and intimacy with the consumer will bring long-term value to the Group.
“This enhanced structure, with M&A and technology as our key enablers, will help us to more proactively seek new business partnerships, while keeping technological innovation at the core of everything we do. I am honoured to spearhead these important growth strategies and continue building on the momentum Uotani-san has created over the past few years, harnessing the potential of emerging technologies, business models and brands.
“The very definition of beauty is being reinvented, and we are thrilled to be at the forefront of these transformations, helping to define the future of beauty.”
In addition to his new responsibilities as Chief Growth Officer, Rey will continue as global brandholder for the NARS, Laura Mercier and bareMinerals brands, in addition to leading Shiseido’s commercial business in the Americas, and overseeing Shiseido’s Centers of Excellence for Makeup and Digital.
