Glossier CEO Kyle Leahy will step down at the end of the year, and the search for her replacement is underway. Leahy will remain on the Glossier board through the transition.
Leahy took over as CEO from Glossier Founder Emily Weiss in 2022 after joining the brand the prior year as Chief Commercial Officer. Prior to that, Leahy had spent nine years at Cole Haan in a variety of leadership roles.
No specific reason was given for Leahy’s departure beyond the fact that “the board and I believe this is the right moment to bring in the next CEO to lead a new phase of growth,” shared Leahy in a LinkedIn post.
Glossier’s Growth and Expansion Under Leahy
Leahy highlighted the expansion and evolution that the brand has undergone during her four years at the company, including 80% growth in marketplace sales and a profitability expansion of 35 points “adding ~$60 million of EBITDA to the bottom line.”
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Leahy orchestrated a number of major moves during her tenure, including:
- Evolving the brand from a DTC company into an omnichannel global brand with a new digital experience and physical store expansion;
- Moving the brand into wholesale, beginning with Sephora in the U.S. and Canada and followed by global deals with Mecca Brands in Australia and New Zealand and Space NK in the UK; and
- Expanding Glossier’s product portfolio to include fragrance, makeup, skincare, body and merch, all moving toward the goal of “solidifying our unique position as the lifestyle brand in beauty.”
“I’m excited to help the Glossier journey continue, working with Emily and our board to find our next leader and continuing to serve as a board member through the transition, as we build Glossier into a 100-year brand,” concluded Leahy in her LinkedIn post. “So much opportunity still lies ahead — the future is bright.”
