Global beauty leader Wella Company announced the appointment of Frank Smalla as Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer, a newly created role.
Since Wella Company became a stand-alone entity now owned by the American global investment firm KKR & Co., Inc. (NYSE: KKR), the company has delivered year-over-year double-digit growth and is one of the fastest growing companies in the beauty sector. Wella Company’s history goes back more than 140 years, and its portfolio is uniquely focused on professional and retail hair, nail and beauty tech brands.
Smalla joins Wella Company as the organization’s transformation is building capability and expanding into new categories and markets. A highly proven finance and corporate operations leader who brings more than 25 years of international experience to the role, Smalla's career spans all facets of corporate finance for publicly traded multinational consumer goods companies, including high-growth businesses.
"“The opportunity to take an iconic business whose brands have such high-growth potential and unlock its full value is a once-in-a-career opportunity,” Smalla said.
Smalla joins Wella Company from Boston Beer Company (NYSE: SAM), a fast-growing consumer company with leading beer and alcohol brands where he has served as Chief Financial Officer since 2016. During his 7-year tenure with Boston Beer Company, he oversaw an unprecedented era of both growth and transformation, doubling revenues as the company entered new categories, while also capitalizing on growing the existing businesses. Prior to Boston Beer, Frank had a successful 20+ year career with Kraft Foods Group, Inc. (now The Kraft Heinz Company, NYSE: KHC), where he directed finance operations across multiple functions, business units, and geographies including EMEA, and the Americas. Smalla also serves on the board of G&L Holdings Inc. where he Chairs the Audit Committee.
“Smalla is the right leader at the right time to accelerate Wella Company’s transformation and enable us to fast-track our maturation into a best-in-class beauty leader,” said Annie Young-Scrivner, CEO Wella Company.
Wella Company’s portfolio includes Wella Professionals, Wella retail, OPI, ghd, Briogeo, Nioxin, Sebastian Professionals, and Clairol. The New York and Geneva, Switzerland, based company operates in more than 100 countries and employs more than 6,000 employees.
