Coty Inc. announced that Bart Becht, former CEO of Reckitt Benckiser plc, has joined its Board of Directors as non-executive Chairman. In August 2011, Mr. Becht stepped down as CEO of Reckitt Benckiser plc, a UK-headquartered, world-leading consumer goods company. Prior to 1995, Mr. Becht held a variety of marketing, sales and financial positions at Procter & Gamble in the US and Germany, then at Benckiser Detergents in Canada, the UK, France and Italy.

“I am pleased that Bart has agreed to join the Board of Coty as its Chairman,” said Peter Harf, who served as Coty Inc.’s chairman since 2001, and will continue to serve as a director of Coty Inc. and head of its Compensation Committee. “His longstanding experience at the head of a global consumer goods company will be an invaluable asset for Coty, as we continue to grow and thrive. I intend to remain active as a Board member and look forward to working with Bart.”

Bernd Beetz, CEO of Coty Inc., noted that Becht has unparalleled expertise. “With his arrival, the Coty management team has an even stronger Board to rely upon,” he said.

In 1995, Becht became CEO of privately held Benckiser Detergents, which became Benckiser N.V. following its IPO and listing on the Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges in 1997. In 1999, when Benckiser N.V. merged with Reckitt & Coleman plc and listed on the London Stock Exchange, Becht became CEO of the merged entity. Under his leadership, Reckitt Benckiser became a global powerhouse of well-known household cleaning and health & personal care brands, and saw its market capitalization grow from $7 billion at the time of the merger in 1999 to almost $40 billion today.