Beauty and wellness conglomerate, L’Occitane Group, has appointed its MD Laurent Marteau as its new group CEO, combining responsibilities of both roles into one. 

Andre J Hoffmann, who has been acting as the group’s vice chairman since 2016 and took on the role of group CEO in 2021, has stepped down from his position but will remain an executive director and member of the board. 

“Laurent embodies the L’Occitane Group’s entrepreneurial mindset and deep commitment to people and nature,” said Reinold Geiger, chairman of the L’Occitane Group. “His in-depth knowledge of the global market, combined with an inclusive leadership style, makes him a strong CEO to bring together a multi-brand and multicultural Group delivering value for all our stakeholders.”

Marteau joined L’Occitane Group in 2022 as group MD. He has more than 20 years of experience in the global beauty industry and held several key roles in the LVMH Group and the La Prairie. 

“In recent years he has led the company towards its strategic objectives, including its geographical expansion, and has been instrumental in the successful acquisition and integration of new brands such as Elemis, Sol de Janeiro and Grown Alchemist,” said Geiger. 

Further reading, L’Occitane describes projected takeover bid price as ‘false, baseless’