Unilever Prestige Names Mary Carmen Gasco-Buisson As CEO

Unilever Prestige, the premium beauty division of Unilever, has announced Mary Carmen Gasco-Buisson as its new chief executive officer. This appointment marks a significant return for Gasco-Buisson, who previously played a pivotal role in leading global brands such as Axe and Lynx to double-digit, profitable growth during her tenure from January 2020 to October 2022.

Gasco-Buisson’s experience in the beauty industry spans over two decades, with significant roles at major companies including Procter & Gamble and, more recently, Pandora, where she served as chief marketing officer and executive vice president of Global Business Units.

Her appointment follows the departure of former CEO Vasiliki Petrou, who founded Unilever Prestige in 2014 and helped establish its portfolio of high-end brands. Under Petrou’s leadership, the division expanded to include acquisitions such as Hourglass, Living Proof, Tatcha, Murad, Dermalogica, and the recent addition of K18, a premium hair care brand.

Sharing her enthusiasm on LinkedIn, Gasco-Buisson said, “Unilever Prestige is a portfolio of 10 beautiful brands across skin, hair and colour cosmetics, built over the last 10 years by Vasiliki Petrou – a leader I know and respect enormously. I have worked in beauty for most of my career and I am thrilled to be returning to lead these brands and teams of entrepreneurial, talented and passionate people into the next chapter of growth.”

This leadership change comes as Unilever Prestige reportedly considers the sale of two of its skincare brands, Ren Clean Skincare and Kate Somerville, indicating a period of evolution and refocusing for the division. Gasco-Buisson’s proven track record and strategic expertise are expected to be pivotal in steering Unilever Prestige through these transformative times.