Debra Perelman, 44, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Revlon; the first female CEO in the 86-year-old history of one of the leading cosmetic brands in the world. This is also unique for the global beauty industry where women are underrepresented in the top leadership. The Estée Lauder Companies (EL) and L’Oréal, two of the largest beauty companies, are led by men.
Debra has been working for Revlon for over two decades and has served in operational and leadership roles across all facets of the business, including finance, distribution and sales operations, international and marketing. She became a member of the Revlon board in 2015. She has also worked for Revlon as executive vice president and head of new business development for its holding company, MacAndrews & Forbes. Debra is the daughter of Ronald Perelman, Chairman of the Revlon Board of Directors, who purchased Revlon in 1985 through his investment firm MacAndrews & Forbes. Revlon’s brands include the cosmetics line Elizabeth Arden.
Since consumers all over the world are preferring online purchases, like many retailers, Revlon has been strategically moving away from the traditional brick and mortar stores to offer their products on various digital platforms. Debra has been overseeing corporate strategy and leading Revlon’s ongoing digital transformation, including forming a data and analytics group and establishing infrastructure and deploying resources necessary to create a leading-edge e-commerce business.
Commenting on her appointment, Debra said that she is committed to driving Revlon to compete and thrive in today’s dynamic environment and encouraging the team’s entrepreneurial spirit, agility and bold creativity.
Debra holds a Masters of Business Administration degree in finance and accounting from and a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude from Princeton University. She is Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of the Child Mind Institute, serves as a member of the Board of the Children’s Hospital of and is a member of the President’s Advisory Council at Princeton University.
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