Dive Brief:
- Sephora has named the next CEO for its North America business. Artemis Patrick, currently global chief merchandising officer, will take over as CEO in April next year, according to a leadership announcement from Sephora CEO Guillaume Motte.
- At that time, Jean-André Rougeot will retire from the role. In the meantime, Patrick will take on the role of president of Sephora North America, starting Oct. 2, and will report to Rougeot during the transition period. When Rougeot retires, Patrick will report to Motte.
- As part of the leadership shift, Sephora has named Senior Vice President of Global Merchandising Priya Venkatesh as its new global chief merchandising officer, also effective Oct. 2. As a member of the senior leadership team, Venkatesh will report to Motte.
Dive Insight:
Sephora is prepping for a new slate of leaders with Patrick’s planned transition into the CEO post and Venkatesh’s promotion. Both are longtime veterans of Sephora, with Patrick working at the beauty retailer for 17 years and Venkatesh for 18. Motte, who oversees Sephora’s entire business, only entered the CEO role in January, after the relatively swift departure of former Starbucks exec Martin Brok.
As Patrick takes over the CEO post at Sephora North America, the retailer is planning a months-long transition that will see Patrick shadow Rougeot starting in October and pick up more responsibilities over time. By January, Patrick will oversee stores, e-commerce, marketing, tech and supply chain, and will lead the creation of the retailer’s 2025 to 2027 strategy.
Motte credited Patrick with launching the Sephora at Kohl’s partnership, running the Sephora inside J.C. Penney business “during its most profitable years,” building out categories like inclusive foundation and clean beauty, and leading Sephora to be the first retailer to sign the 15 Percent Pledge.
“Her unrivalled retail, brand, beauty and consumer expertise, both in North America and globally, together with her remarkable leadership and in-depth knowledge of Sephora, will be instrumental in leading one of our most successful businesses,” Motte said in a statement.
Rougeot, who joined Sephora in 2019, has been at parent company LVMH even longer. The executive served as CEO of Benefit Cosmetics for 12 years prior to taking on his current role at Sephora North America.
“The time has not come yet to say goodbye to Jean-André and we will make sure to celebrate him properly before he leaves us. However, I take this opportunity to thank him for his tremendous impact on our Americas business over the last five years,” Motte said. “Thanks to his inspirational, passionate leadership, beauty and retail expertise, and purpose-driven vision, the region is now stronger than ever, delivering all-time record sales, and gaining market shares.”
