Glossier CEO Emily Weiss steps down from her long held role at one of the industry’s most beloved beauty brands. Emily Weiss will be replaced by the brand’s former Chief Commercial Officer Kyle Leahy. Emily announced the news via a personal blog post on Glossier’s website.
Emily held the position as CEO since launching the company in 2014. She will remain a part of the company as Executive Chairwoman.
In her blog Emily stated, “I’ve had the privilege of not just being Glossier’s founder since 2014, but also its CEO — two roles that have brought me into communion with tens, hundreds, millions of the most inspiring people inside our company and around the world…At the same time, I’ve always thought of these titles as unique from one another: A founder is a forever identity, one that starts with a kernel of an idea and never ends. I will always be Glossier’s founder. But a CEO is the champion that a company looks to, to lead it into tomorrow. From my observation, the greatest companies in the world understand this distinction and make sure that the CEO seat is always filled with the right person to take it where it needs to go for its brightest next chapter.”
The announcement comes after a series of questionable business decisions and controversial press; such as their attempt at a spin-off brand named Glossier Play (which was shuttered a year after it launched), ex-Glossier employees’ claims of internal racism and mistreatment, and the company’s mass layoffs of more than 80 employees in January 2022. The brand has also been taking multiple steps to adjust its image, such as signing on pop star Olivia Rodrigo to a long-term deal to promote products in April 2022. The move was a major break from the brand’s traditional community-centric marketing tactics. To date, Glossier has raised more than $260 million dollars, with its most recent valuation oat $1.8 billion as of July 2021.
Of Leahy’s appointment to CEO Emily stated, “[Leahy] brings both a deep appreciation of the power of timeless consumer brands and the proven experience of leading large, dynamic organizations through transformational moments. From building omnichannel marketplace strategy at Nike, to leading the reinvention and acceleration of Cole Haan, to driving digital innovation at American Express, Kyle has spent her career setting strategy and aligning operational execution to build enterprise value and maximize brand potential. Her balance of art and science, coupled with her huge heart (the world needs empathetic leadership now more than ever), will enable us to continue to invest in the products and experiences that will change how the world sees beauty for years to come.”
On top of Emily transitioning into her role as Executive Chairwoman, Glossier’s Chief Marketing Officer, Ali Weiss (no relation to Emily Weiss) will be leaving her position in July.