Davines Group Announces Leadership Changes

Davines Group Announces 2021 Succession Plan 

Davines Group Chair Davide Bollati announced today that Paolo Braguzzi will leave his role of Davines Group CEO and Managing Director in May 2021. The Board of Directors has appointed Anthony Molet, currently Davines North America CEO, to replace Paolo at the head of the Group, starting May 2021.

“The Davines Group’s experience allowed me to implement the business vision I have always believed in, where the company’s success has to come together, in a virtuous circle, with the positive impact on people and planet,” said Paolo.

Paolo, born in Mantua, Italy, graduated in Economics at the University of Verona, for which he was named Alumni of the Year in 2019, to then start his professional path in consumer marketing, progressing to the role of Division Manager and then General Manager of the Italian branch of a multinational company in the professional beauty industry. In the last 16 years spent at Davines Group, he broadly contributed to the growth of its brands (Davines haircare, and Comfort Zone skincare) and to its reputation worldwide, implementing its transformation into a B Corp in 2016, and a Benefit Corporation in 2019. When he joined the Group in 2004, Davines’ turnover was 27 M€ and 2019’s turnover reached 163 M€. Today, Davines is one of the most relevant and top-performing cosmetics companies in the Italian landscape and a significant player in the global beauty scene.

“I believe that it is increasingly the responsibility of companies to educate consumers and influence their behavior towards a more sustainable world,” said Anthony. “What I find so compelling about Davines is that it has the power to impact people, just like it did to me. Over the years Paolo Braguzzi paved a path for the company with a perfect balance between values, quality products and financial health, and I am looking forward to continuing this journey.”

Anthony was raised in Giremoutiers, France before moving to Paris in 1993 where he graduated four years later from ESLSCA Business School, a Grande École de Commerce. He then joined the New York subsidiary of a French family-owned company, manufacturing high-end hair and skincare products, rapidly progressing to the role of Sales Director first for their Salon and then Retail divisions, which also earned him the title of Executive Vice President. In 2008, Anthony joined Davines North America as CEO. During his 13-year tenure, Anthony implemented structure and continuity, resulting in steady growth that made North America a key market for the Davines Group.

With this choice, the Chair Davide and the Board of Directors are confirming their will to continue the Group’s path of sustainable growth, based on the solid ethical principles of the 100 percent family-owned Italian company.

“First of all, I would like to thank Paolo for the wonderful work he did for the company in these 16 years,” Davide said. “His ethical and organizational leadership, his personal and professional integrity, and his consistent commitment not only led the Group to successful achievements in terms of financial results, but also significantly contributed to the company’s sustainability culture and to building a sustainability-driven, resilient community, which has been able to come together also in disruptive times like the ones we are all going through.”

“I would also like to welcome Anthony, already part of our enlarged Davines family, among which his successful endeavors in the North American market (our first one in terms of turnover and potential) are wellknown and celebrated,” added Davide. “I am confident both in his professional capacity and in his personal commitment to guide the Group, in harmony with our values and in evolution as the present times strongly require. My warmest wishes to Paolo and Anthony.”

In the next months leading to the May succession, Paolo will have the time to guide this transition and hand over the guide of the Group to Anthony, while at the same time managing a similar transition to a new GM (still to be appointed) for Davines North America.