MS&LGroup has announced the expansion of its capability in the beauty and luxury categories with the addition of industry expert Carson Gray Elias. The new SVP, Beauty and Luxury, will work with the agency’s current roster of beauty and luxury clients including Keri, World Gold Council and American Crew. She will be among the leadership of the newly formed Personal Care Practice which houses the agency’s personal health, beauty, wellness and luxury brands.

Gray Elias brings with her an extensive beauty industry resume; for more than a decade, she has worked exclusively in beauty. Prior to joining MS&LGroup, she served as the executive director at Rpr Marketing Communications, leading the Johnson & Johnson Beauty Care North American Public Relations efforts. There she launched the Aveeno brand’s first foray into anti-aging with Positvely Ageless, and hair with Nourish+, creating effective and strategic public relations, consumer, retailer and online marketing programs. In addition, Gray Elias was an in-house VP of public relations at cosmeceutical company DDF, and worked on brands including Infusium 23, Red Door Spas and Salons, Perricone MD, Olay, Revlon, Decleor, Molton Brown and Carita.

“There’s clearly a gap in the marketplace when it comes to international public relations consultancies that have proprietary strategic tools combined with veteran creative, beauty talent like Carson. We see great potential and are thrilled with the plans Carson is putting in place for our clients,” says Renee Wilson, president Northeast Region, managing director New York.

Gray Elias says, “I’m excited to have partnered with MS&LGroup to create a unique offering in the Beauty and Luxury spaces; by creating groundbreaking programs, within the framework of a global powerhouse, the possibilities are endless. I look forward to creating an innovative practice that delivers significant results for our clients, and changes the way brands think about their public relations efforts.”