Delphine Viguier-Hovasse has been appointed L’Oréal’s chief innovation and prospective officer, a newly created position for the group.
The executive, who currently serves as global brand president of L’Oréal Paris, will start in the new position on July 1. She will report to Barbara Lavernos, L’Oréal deputy chief executive officer, in charge of research, innovation and technology. Viguier-Hovasse will also join the group’s executive committee at that time.
“This new role builds on L’Oréal’s long track record in innovation and has been established to further strengthen its leadership within the dynamic and fast-evolving beauty landscape,” the company said in a statement released Wednesday. “This position will oversee both the existing innovation teams and the strategic prospective department, to ensure a holistic and future-focused approach to beauty innovation.”
Viguier-Hovasse, an engineer by training, joined L’Oréal in 1997. She became the first female head of L’Oréal Paris in 2019.
“Under her guidance, L’Oréal Paris has experienced impressive growth, solidifying its position as the world’s leading beauty brand,” L’Oréal said. “This success was fueled by her ability to bring new game-changing innovations to market — like Elsève Glycolic Gloss and Panorama Mascara, a testament to her product development abilities.”
Viguier-Hovasse has during her tenure at the brand built and amplified activations and programs that inspire women’s worth. That includes L’Oréal Paris’ fashion show, dubbed Le Defilé, which takes place once yearly during Paris Fashion Week. The brand also annually is an official sponsor of the Cannes Film Festival, where this year it is celebrating its fifth edition of the Lights on Women’s Worth Award, which shines a light on women in film.
L’Oréal Paris Elnett Hairspray
Courtesy L’Oréal Paris
“Under her leadership, the brand has also strengthened its commitment to female empowerment, culminating in the brands Stand-Up program against street harassment, which has trained nearly 3 million people worldwide,” L’Oréal said. “Delphine’s leadership has not only driven business growth but also fostered a culture of excellence and inspired a new generation of talent within L’Oréal.”
Nicolas Hieronimus, L’Oréal CEO, said of Viguier-Hovasse: “Her exceptional track record of innovation and her strategic vision make her ideally suited to elevate our company’s innovation to new heights. I am sure that her forward-thinking approach and deep understanding of the evolving beauty landscape will help us write the next chapter of the L’Oréal adventure.”
