Since joining Shiseido in 2015, Maria Chiclana has been recognized for leading multiple global M&A and value creation/ transformational projects. In 2020, Maria was nominated by the Shiseido Group CEO and approved by the Board to become the first female and non-Japanese CLO in the Company’s history, effective January 2021.
Maria is responsible for advising the Company on all legal and business matters concerning the Company’s global skincare,, suncare, fragrance, and personal beauty wellness business. Maria’s responsibilities include advising the Company’s executive leadership and management on corporate governance, TSE compliance, mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, risk controls, ethics & compliance, sustainability, IP (patents and trademarks), regulatory affairs, licensing, integrations and
divestitures, all commercial contracts, complex litigation and dispute resolution, digital data & security, crisis response, supply chain, public relations, real estate, employment & labor, restructurings, marketing and privacy issues. Maria’s responsibilities as a CLO include ensuring the Company’s Board of Directors is properly informed about all material matters, including long-term and short-term strategies, and evolving risks and controls, so that the Board can fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities. Maria manages multiple, culturally diverse teams around the world and believes in the power of the team and team engagement.
Maria is passionate about business and law. She has extensive “hands on” global business and legal experience, inclusive of her 12 years’ experience with Unilever’s global prestige cosmetic and fragrance business, 8 years with American Standard (while owned by private equity and through the sale to LIXIL, a Japanese building products global conglomerate), and 4 years with New York City premier corporate law firms. Throughout her career, Maria has held business leader roles, in addition to her general counsel roles, in key business areas such as:
- Regulatory business leader, Risk Management Leader, and Global M&A (Shiseido)
- Insurance, Risk Management, Environment, Health & Safety, Corporate Security, and Human
Resources (American Standard/ LIXIL) - Licensing, Consumer & Public Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, Corporate Security, and
Communications (Unilever Cosmetics International; Unilever Prestige)
Maria earned her BA, magna cum laude, from Barnard College, Columbia University, and earned her JD from Harvard Law School. Maria is admitted to the New York State Bar.
In 2013, Maria won the NJ BIZ General Counsel of the Year award, after being independently nominated by Marsh & McLennan. Maria is fluent in Spanish and is a former NY licensed nurse. Maria lives in New Jersey with her family.
