Beauty Industry

Catherine Walsh Takes On Newly Created Role at Coty

Executive played key role in establishing Coty as a leader in celebrity and designer fragrances

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By: Jamie Matusow

Editor-in-Chief

Coty is reportedly set to go public tomorrow on the New York Stock Exchange, with shares to trade on Thursday, and the beauty company is continuing to prepare for expansion.

Catherine Walsh, who has long been acknowledged for her innovative and influential role at Coty—particularly in firing up celebrity and designer fragrance—will now spread her knowledge in a newly created position of senior vice president, corporate communications as the global beauty company continues to strengthen its worldwide brand-building efforts.

“Catherine Walsh has been a key force in creating and developing the American portfolio of Coty Prestige since she began with us in 2001,” said Michele Scannavini, CEO of Coty Inc. “Her passion for all forms of beauty, her natural curiosity and her unique marketing capabilities have all contributed to the growing success of Coty Prestige over the past decade, and they are just some of the characteristics that make me confident in her ability to take on this new role.”

In her new position, Walsh has been charged with promoting Coty’s corporate image, implementing effective financial communication, piloting Coty Cares, developing digital capabilities and leading internal communications. Serving under her to help achieve those goals is a cross-divisional team that will include representatives from the departments of corporate public relations, corporate sustainability, global digital and employee communication.

“I have been in the Coty family for more than 10 years, and now I look forward to helping make Coty one of the strongest brands in the beauty industry,” said Walsh. “My goal is to ensure that our brand is recognized and admired by peers, retailers, consumers, suppliers and employees alike. With the wonderful team I have to support me, I know that we will be able to achieve those goals and much more.”

Walsh’s many achievements in her tenure at Coty include reigniting the celebrity fragrance model by establishing a long-standing collaboration with Jennifer Lopez, inventing new concepts and brand territories with Marc Jacobs and Balenciaga, and bringing mega-brands such as Calvin Klein to new heights. She sits on the Fashion Institute of Technology’s industry advisory board and the board of directors for the Chinati Foundation.

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