PARIS – L’Occitane Group has named Laurent Marteau as its new chief executive officer.
Marteau, currently the beauty group’s managing director, will also take up the CEO position, as a combined role, effective April 1. As CEO, Marteau succeeds André J. Hoffmann, who was acting as CEO and chose to step down from the position.
Hoffman is to remain a L’Occitane Group executive director and member of the board, focusing on strategic, policy and leadership issues.
L’Occitane said in a statement that the merging of the managing director and CEO positions “sustains the company’s transformation into a geographically balanced, multibrand group.”
Marteau is a seasoned beauty executive, with more than 20 years of experience. He became group managing director at L’Occitane Group in 2022.
Prior to that, starting in 2014, he was at La Prairie Group as vice president for global travel retail and special channels, and a member of the board of directors, then became vice president for Europe, the Americas, Middle East and Africa. Marteau was also at LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton in senior positions during 15 years.
“As our group grows, we need to evolve,” Reinold Geiger, chairman of L’Occitane Group, said in a statement. “Laurent embodies the L’Occitane Group’s entrepreneurial mindset and deep commitment to people and nature. His in-depth knowledge of the global market, combined with an inclusive leadership style, makes him a strong CEO to bring together a multibrand and multicultural group delivering value for all our stakeholders.”
Hoffmann had been vice chairman of L’Occitane Group since 2016.
“In recent years he has led the company towards its strategic objectives, including its geographical expansion, and has been instrumental in the successful acquisition and integration of new brands such as Elemis, Sol de Janeiro and Grown Alchemist,” continued Geiger. “He will continue to play a significant role in the group, supporting its strategic direction as executive director and member of the board.”
Source: WWD