A global leader in professional hair color and styling tools, The Wella Company is making strategic leadership changes and evolving the organizational design of its global brand and marketing function.
The new design will separate global brand and marketing functions into two distinct but complementary teams, each with a dedicated leader and a clear mandate.
Global brand will focus on strengthening the company’s portfolio of brands, while global marketing will focus on translating that strength into consumer demand.
“The Wella Company is entering an exciting new chapter. We have iconic brands, deep scientific expertise and exceptional relationships with professionals and these leaders bring fresh perspectives, proven capabilities and a shared ambition to move with speed, innovate boldly and win with pros and consumers around the world. I’m excited about the team we are building and confident they are the right leaders as we shape the future of beauty together, says Calvin McDonald, chief executive officer of The Wella Company.
The New Phase in Leadership
The Wella Company President of Brands and Chief Marketing Officer Yannis Rodocanachi is transitioning to the newly created role of chief brand officer. In this role, Rodocanachi will lead brand management, consumer and customer insights and creative excellence, building brands that professionals and consumers choose and love across the company’s portfolio of seven strategic brands.
Effective Nov. 2, industry veteran Carole Gardner Diarra will join as Chief Marketing Officer, bringing more than 25 years in beauty, fashion and consumer brands and, most recently, experience as Global Vice President of Marketing at UGG. In her new role, Diarra will lead global marketing and build the activation engine that turns brand love into consumer demand, extending the company’s professionally led, consumer-driven approach across its portfolio.
Current Chief Science & Innovation Officer at Tate & Lyle and previously modernized R&D at Barilla, Victoria Spadaro Grant has been appointed chief scientific and product officer. Spadaro will bring science, consumer needs and commercial opportunity closer together, building on the company’s six global R&D centers, more than 300 scientists and more than 1,200 granted and pending patents.
Javier Huerta will begin his role as chief supply chain officer Dec. 1, bringing 30 years of global experience at Imperial Brands and Unilever and Nestlé. As chief supply chain officer, he will lead the company’s approximately 2,000-person global supply chain organization, evolving its sourcing, manufacturing, quality and logistics capabilities to support our omnichannel strategy, including eCommerce and direct-to-consumer platforms for select brands.
Together, these newly designed teams will better enable the company to continue creating strong brand affinity and driving advocacy among consumers and professionals.
These strategic changes support The Wella Company’s priorities in brand building, innovation and omnichannel strategy.
