The French luxury group has appointed Stéphane Rinderknech as chief executive and chairman of its beauty division, while Parfums Christian Dior and Guerlain have new CEOs.
By guest author Kati Chitrakorn from Volgue Business.
March 6, 2023
In another leadership shakeup at LVMH, the French luxury group has named Stéphane Rinderknech as chairman and CEO of its beauty division, and appointed new CEOs at Parfums Christian Dior and Guerlain.
The announcement signals LVMH’s intention to compete more aggressively in the beauty market, which is dominated by pure players such as L’Oréal, Estée Lauder Companies and Coty, as well as in-house offerings from luxury brands including Chanel and Hermès. It follows Kering’s recent creation of an in-house beauty division to develop cosmetics and perfumes for its fashion brands including Bottega Veneta and Alexander McQueen, headed by former Estée Lauder Companies executive Raffaella Cornaggia.
In his new role, Rinderknech will oversee LVMH’s 15 beauty maisons, including Parfums Christian Dior, Guerlain, Parfums Givenchy and Kenzo. Rinderknech, who joined the group in 2022 after almost 20 years at L’Oréal, will also retain his current responsibilities as head of LVMH hospitality excellence, which includes the Cheval Blanc hotel and Belmond Hotels and trains.
“The appointment of Stéphane Rinderknech at the head of the beauty division completes the reorganisation of the group by category,” said LVMH chief executive Bernard Arnault in a statement. “His deep understanding of the beauty industry will help him leverage the unique assets of each of our maisons.”
Véronique Courtois, who has headed Guerlain since November 2019, will move across to become president and chief executive of Parfums Christian Dior. She succeeds Laurent Kleitman, who has headed the brand since November 2019, but has decided to leave to pursue other opportunities, according to the company. During this tenure, Kleitman oversaw the business during a “health crisis” and also contributed to its “rapid” digital transformation, LVMH said. Courtois was previously brand general director at Parfums Christian Dior for seven years before moving to Guerlain in 2019.
“The success of Sauvage, the world’s leading fragrance, is a prime example of her remarkable contributions [while at Dior],” said Arnault. “Since 2019, Véronique has also done a tremendous job elevating and rejuvenating Guerlain.”
Gabrielle Saint-Genis Rodriguez, who has headed Make Up For Ever since June 2019, succeeds Courtois as president and chief executive of Guerlain. Charles-Henri Levaillant, who has been digital and client development director at Louis Vuitton since December 2020, has been named president and chief executive of Make Up For Ever.
Arnault said Rodriguez has “spurred dynamic momentum at Make Up For Ever with innovative products and highly effective initiatives”. He also praised Levaillant’s “successful entrepreneurial background” having joined LVMH originally in the strategic department, before moving across to Louis Vuitton in 2020, where he accelerated growth and improved the client experience.
Claude Martinez is taking on the new role of president and CEO of Gaia, LVMH’s group research and innovation centre. He was named managing director of LVMH Perfumes and Cosmetics in 2019 after running Parfums Christian Dior for 19 years, before handing over to Kleitman.
The shakeup comes less than two months after LVMH announced its largest executive reshuffle in years, during which Pietro Beccari became chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton, and Delphine Arnault took the reins at Christian Dior Couture.