Coty chooses Lancôme's former president as its director
For the first time, a woman, and even a tall lady (she is 1.90m tall), takes the direction of a beauty giant. Coty creates the surprise and breaks taboos by choosing Sue Y. Nabi, a beauty pro, of atypical origin and with an exceptional career.
For American Coty, choose Sue Y. Nabi is a key step in her transformation, one of the priorities of which is to target the younger generation. After high-profile initiatives such as the buyout of Kylie Jenner's cosmetics company and then that of her half-sister Kim Kardashian West, Coty has now appointed the very talented Sue Y. to head the company. Nabi. Peter Harf, founder and partner, says, "Sue is recognized as a visionary leader, an innovator whose extraordinary creativity and unique inspirations are celebrated by the beauty industry." For Coty, this is a real lever in its transformation, as the group, which saw its turnover plunge by 8% in its last financial year, has decided to refocus on its beauty (skincare and make-up) and fragrance sector, of which it is the world leader.
Who's the one they used to call the diva? Sue Y. Nabi is French of Algerian origin, who became a woman in 2000, a priori not the profile of the CEO of one of the largest American multinationals... But that's without counting on her incredible career and her exceptional talents! Her impact within the beauty industry has earned her a place on the Vogue UK list of the world's most influential women.
Great beauty pro, Sue Y. Nabi had a long career in the group L'Oréal where she quickly became one of the high potentials. Since joining the group in 1994, she has enjoyed a string of successes, first at Lascad, then at Gemey, and then at L'Oréal Paris, where she doubled the brand's turnover by multiplying the number of new products. In 2009, Jean - Paul Agon, the group's president, thought of her to turn Lancôme around, and she was immediately responsible for such successes as Trésor and La vie est belle perfumes, Miracle foundation, Visionary serum, etc. She resigned from the group in 2013, after 20 years with the company. In 2014, she leaves for London to create Orveda, a luxury vegan skincare brand, in association with hip-hop music producer Nicolas Vu.
And today, it is from September 1st that Sue Y Nabi will take up an international challenge at the head of Coty, a group that houses 77 world-famous brands such as Bourjois or Max Factor. In a few months' time, the new president will unveil her priorities for the group, in order to better adhere to evolving trends. Another complicated mission, she will have to respond to the group's difficulties since the integration of Procter and Gamble's beauty business in 2016. Indeed, Coty has changed CEO four times in less than four years.
As Thibaut de La Rivière, director of Sup de luxe, points out, "By appointing Sue Y Nabi, Coty is doing double duty! The recruitment of a true talent for beauty and also that of a personality that gives her a new image in the air at a time of debate on diversity and inclusion".