The wait is (almost) over: AkzoNobel to outline new strategy on April 19
AkzoNobel has announced that it will hold an investor update on April 19 to outline plans for the creation of two focused businesses and enhanced long-term value creation. The Dutch specialty chemicals supplier will also unveil its first quarter results on the same...
CLICK HERE
Unilever’s Keith Weed: there’s still a long way to go on viewability – but we won’t pull our ads from YouTube
Unilever’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Keith Weed has spoken out about the ‘three V’s’ (value, viewability and verification) in relation to the accountability of digital platforms, claiming that while he still thinks there’s a lot of work to be done,...
CLICK HERE
Dutch government recognizes AkzoNobel’s commitment to national energy saving goals
Dutch multinational AkzoNobel has signed an agreement with the Dutch government that recognizes the company’s latest contribution to meeting national sustainability targets. This agreement has stemmed from AkzoNobel’s recent investments at its Rotterdam-based...
CLICK HERE
Digitally does it: Henkel increases technology prowess with Rahmyn Kress appointment
German personal care giant Henkel has announced the appointment of Rahmyn Kress as its new Chief Digital Officer. Kress has been brought in to drive the company’s digital prowess and will report directly to CEO Hans Van Bylen. Joining the company in the second...
CLICK HERE
IFF exceeds water reduction goal as outlined in 2016 sustainability report
International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) has released its 2016 sustainability report, which reports that it has exceeded its goal of 50 reduction in water use intensity, reaching 58 percent. The report, named Circular in Design, focuses on deepening the role of...
CLICK HERE
Reckitt Benckiser hires new Senior Vice President of corporate communications and external affairs
British consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser has announced the appointment of Miguel Veiga-Pestana as Senior Vice President of corporate communications and external affairs. Veiga-Pestana joins the company from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he...
CLICK HERE
Second the best? PPG prepares new bid for AkzoNobel
PPG is said to be preparing a second bid for specialty chemicals supplier AkzoNobel, after the first was roundly rejected, according to a report published by Bloomberg Market Watch. AkzoNobel claimed that PPG’s first US$22.1 billion bid ‘substantially undervalued’ the...
CLICK HERE
UK Parliament to debate North East Coty factory closure
Following a successful application by local MP Ronnie Campbell, the UK Parliament has scheduled an adjournment debate to discuss the future of Coty’s Seaton Delaval plant in the North East of England, according to a report published by Chronicle Live. Coty announced...
CLICK HERE
Avon and out: direct sales giant’s brand name makes Cambridge University’s list of top 15 words we no longer use
Avon has been included in a list of 15 words that have fallen out of everyday parlance in the UK since the 1990s, according to a report published by Stylist. The ongoing study into language habits, conducted by Cambridge and Lancaster Universities, compiled the top 15...
CLICK HERE
May must ‘protect prize assets’: Lord Myners weighs into Unilever takeover debate
Lord Myners, the man credited with protecting UK apparel and supermarket chain Marks & Spencer from a takeover staged by Topshop boss Sir Philip Green when Myners was Chairman of the upmarket retailer, has hit out at the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, for failing...
CLICK HERE
L’Oréal supports C40 as founding partner of Women4Climate global initiative
L’Oreal has become the first company to partner with the C40 Women4Climate initiative, pledging to help encourage women from across 10 cities to fight against climate change. As a founding partner, L’Oréal ‘will mentor young women who develop solutions to limit the...
CLICK HERE
Unilever boss urges for more government protection over foreign takeover bids
Paul Polman, Unilever CEO, has spoken out regarding the level of protection UK-based businesses have from foreign takeovers, stating that there should be more being done from the British Government, according to a report by the Guardian. The news follows the recent...
CLICK HERE
Shoe brand Birkenstock launches into natural cosmetics market
Birkenstock, famous for its successful shoe empire, has launched its first venture into the cosmetics market with the announcement of the new skin care line Birkenstock Natural Care. The company is well known for its popular sandals range, and is now branching into...
CLICK HERE
Lush: looking to global expansion in response to government ‘lack of clarity’ over Brexit
British naturals brand Lush Cosmetics has made clear its intention to focus on an expansion overseas as a direct result of the Brexit vote and the British government’s handling of the situation. The company blamed the government in a statement over the ‘lack of...
CLICK HERE
L’Oréal confirms completion of microbead reformulation
French beauty powerhouse L’Oréal has confirmed it has completed the reformulation of its wash off products to remove plastic microbeads as cleansing or exfoliating agents. The move draws on the company’s commitment to sustainable production, with a statement reading,...
CLICK HERE
Chanel unveils results of microfluidics research in new launch Hydra Beauty Micro Crème
Chanel has unveiled the latest fruits of its research into microfluidics with the launch of a new skin care treatment, the first to contain camellia micro-droplets. The French fashion house partnered with start-up Capsum to meet new technological challenges in the...
CLICK HERE
Symrise optimistic for 2017 as it exceeds expectations for fiscal 2016; sales up 12 percent
Symrise has smashed its target for 2016, announcing an impressive 12 percent increase in sales for the year to €2,903.2 million (reported currencies). Earnings were up 9 percent to €625.2 million, with an EBITAN margin of 21.5 percent. “In the fiscal year 2016,...
CLICK HERE
250 jobs lost as Coty closes Irish Max Factor factory
Some 250 employees are set to lose their jobs as Coty moves production of Max Factor cosmetics from Ireland to England, according to a report published by The Irish Times. Production was shut down on Monday, with staff called to a meeting where the US beauty giant was...
CLICK HERE
Puig buys majority stake in Greek cosmetics company Apivita
The parent company of Spanish luxury fragrance firm Puig, Exea has acquired a majority stake in Greek natural cosmetics company Apivita for an undisclosed sum, according to various reports. The Catalan company will take a controlling interest, carried out via a share...
CLICK HERE
Evonik to acquire alternative preservative specialist Dr Straetmans
Evonik has announced the acquisition of Hamburg-based Dr Straetmans, a specialist in alternative preservative systems for cosmetic products. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the transaction is expected to complete in the first half of the year. The move will...
CLICK HERE
Alibaba expands Alipay POS in Europe to 2,000
Alibaba-owned Alipay has expanded the number of stores and restaurants that accept the mobile payment app tenfold in the space of three months, bringing the total to 2,000, according to a report published by South China Morning Post. “We follow Chinese consumers’...
CLICK HERE
L’Oréal creates new Deputy GM, L’Oréal Luxe role as division snowballs
L’Oréal has created a new role for its Luxe division on the back of the unit’s steady growth and increasing number of brands. Cyril Chapuy has been named Deputy General Manager L’Oréal Luxe in charge of international brands. Chapuy will report to Nicolas Hieronimus,...
CLICK HERE
AkzoNobel considers future of Specialty Chemicals business as PPG bid rejected
AkzoNobel has announced a review of strategic options for the separation of its Specialty Chemicals business, which could see the €4.8 billion unit become an independent listed entity. The decision was bought forward following confirmation that AkzoNobel has rejected...
CLICK HERE
Former L’Occitane boss joins forces with CVS Capital Partners on The Body Shop takeover bid
Emmanual Osti, former head of L’Occitane, is joining forces with CVS Capital Partners to put forward a £850 million bid for The Body Shop, according to a report by The Sunday Times. CVS Partners, which last year sold control of Formula One to Liberty Media, is thought...
CLICK HERE
Henkel boosts hair care portfolio with Nattura Laboratorios acquisition
Henkel has acquired Mexican hair care brand Nattura Laboratorios, based in Mexico with associated companies in the USA, Colombia and Spain. The purchase will boost Henkel’s position in the professional hair care market while also expanding its reach in Mexico and the...
CLICK HERE
RSPO heralds European Parliament Committee commitment for 100 percent certified sustainable palm oil
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has welcomed the European Parliament Committee’s recent commitment to 100 percent certified sustainable palm oil, after its decision to adopt the own-initiative report titled ‘Palm Oil and Deforestation of Rainforests. Led...
CLICK HERE
New scientific study creates potential for customized cosmetics formulations
A new lipidomics study published in Scientific Reports showed that a ‘high inter-individual variation of the lipid profile of each person, could become the basis for the development of personalized cosmetics.’ Using a quantitative high-throughput shot-gun mass...
CLICK HERE
Infopro Digital challenges EasyFairs market dominance with Beauteam acquisition
Infopro Digital has announced the acquisition of communications and events specialist Beauteam, a move which will boost the group’s presence in the B2B events market, challenging the likes of EasyFairs. Multi-media specialist and organiser of Luxe Pack Monaco,...
CLICK HERE
Neelam Gill named as first British Indian face of L’Oréal Paris UK
UK model Neelam Gill has been named as the first British Indian face of beauty powerhouse L’Oréal Paris UK. Gill, who is British born with Indian grandparents, has spoken out about her appointment, stating in an Instagram post, “I can't even believe I'm writing this...
CLICK HERE
L’Oréal CMO: specialize, specialize, specialize for marketing success
Speaking to The Drum ahead of his appearance at the ISBA conference held yesterday, L’Oréal UK & Ireland Chief Marketing Officer, Hugh Pile, revealed that he believes the key to an agile and effective marketing team lies in specialist staff who ‘know where their...
CLICK HERE
Symrise earns Outstanding Ratings in CDP ranking
Symrise has been named among the industry leaders for sustainability, having earned top rankings from the Carbon Disclosure Project. Symrise was awarded a score of A(-) in the Forest and Water categories, and an A for its climate data, making it the only company in...
CLICK HERE
Givaudan appoints new Director for Perfumery School
Givaudan has appointed Calice Becker Director of its Perfumery School, which celebrated its 70th anniversary last year. Becker will lead the training of future perfumery talent, supported by Alain Alchenburger. She will also continue to create fragrances for select...
CLICK HERE
Unilever and Mastercard announce joint business partnership for emerging markets
Personal care powerhouse Unilever has announced a joint partnership with Mastercard that will see the two companies work together on a range of initiatives to empower small and micro businesses in emerging markets. The partnership aims to ‘further advance specific...
CLICK HERE
Sederma announces €10 million facility extension to boost production
Croda-owned Sederma has announced a €10 million extension of its Le Perray-en-Yvelines, France facility. The move will boost the ingredient maker’s innovation scope and its production capacity. Indeed, the investment is also said to help reduce the facility’s...
CLICK HERE
Firmenich pioneers growth in automated factories in Switzerland
Fragrance maker Firmenich has become one of the pioneering companies to use automated robots in factories in a bid to overcome the high average wage in Switzerland. The company decided to use robots in its Geneva factory three years ago, in a $60million move which has...
CLICK HERE
The Body Shop Community Trade Programme announces four new ingredients and ambitious growth plan
The Body Shop has announced the addition of four new ingredients to its Community Trade Programme and that it is set to double by 2020. The move highlights the success of the initiative, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, with the four new...
CLICK HERE
Evonik announces new Chairman as Engel steps down
Evonik Chairman Klaus Engel is to step down early, according to a statement released by the company this week. He will be replaced by current Chief Strategic Officer and Deputy Chairman Christian Kullmann in May. Evonik told Reuters that Engel’s departure was amicable...
CLICK HERE
Weak sterling lifts Croda’s full-year profits
The UK’s currency woes in the wake of Brexit have been beneficial for specialty chemicals supplier Croda, lifting full-year, pre-tax profits to £288 million, according to a report published by Digital Look. Sales were up 15 percent to £1.24 billion, including an 11.9...
CLICK HERE
Bad break up? Shareholders call for Unilever split after failed Kraft-Heinz bid
One of Unilever’s top 10 investors is calling for Unilever to sell off part of its food business in the wake of the failed Kraft-Heinz takeover bid, according to a report published by The Drum. One of the Anglo-Dutch FMCG giant’s largest shareholders told The Times...
CLICK HERE
L’Oréal becomes founding member of Responsible Mica Initiative
L’Oréal has announced it has become one of the founding members of the new Responsible Mica Initiative. The initiative aims to cement its commitment to sourcing sustainable mica in India, with the French beauty company having implemented a responsible procurement...
CLICK HERE
Henkel: strong Q4 results boosted by emerging markets
Henkel reported Q4 earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of EURO 765 million, up 10.8 percent, according to a report by Reuters. This growth was put down to growth in emerging markets, with sales reaching EURO 4.86 billion euros, ahead of industry expectations....
CLICK HERE
L’Oréal in law suit over false ‘pro keratin’ claims
French beauty giant L’Oréal has had a class-action filed against it for false advertising of its Matrix Keratindose products. Plaintiffs Brandi Price and Christine Chadwick cited false, deceptive and misleading advertising for the Matrix Biolage Keratindose...
CLICK HERE
Croda plans £27 million investment in UK city Hull
Croda is said to be embarking on a major investment program which will see the specialty chemicals firm double its output from its Oak Road site in Hull, according to a report published by the Hull Daily Mail. “I’m waiting to see the final details but I very much...
CLICK HERE
British Vogue launches Facebook chatbot
British Vogue is celebrating London Fashion Week with the launch of a Facebook Messenger bot that will allow users to personalize the fashion news they receive in their inbox, according to a report published by The Drum. “This is a new method for us to be able to talk...
CLICK HERE
Firmenich appoints new President, Perfumery & Ingredients
Firmenich has announced the appointment of Armand de Villoutreys as President, Perfumery & Ingredients, effective July 1, 2017. De Villoutreys’ new role will extend his leadership from Perfumery to Ingredients, strengthening creative synergies between the two...
CLICK HERE
Oriflame Q3 euro sales up despite fall in sales representatives
Swedish direct sales giant Oriflame has announced a 5 percent rise in euro sales to €355.1m (€339.5m), while the number of active sales representatives fell 7 percent to three million. Local currency sales increased by 8 percent while operating margin was 11.8...
CLICK HERE
International Flavors & Fragrances axes jobs to cut costs
International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) is said to be cutting 370 jobs over the next two jobs as part of a cost-cutting exercise. Around 5 percent of its workforce will be axed, with the company expecting to receive around $35million in charges due to the cuts....
CLICK HERE
‘Plenty of room to grow’: Gucci to boost bouyant sales with new fragrance launch in H2, reveals Kering Chief
Gucci is gearing up to launch a new fragrance in the second half of the year, according to Kering Chairman and CEO Francois-Henri Pinault, who revealed the news during a press conference last week. The owner of the luxury fashion house is celebrating buoyant sales...
CLICK HERE
End of an era: Boots appoints Ogilvy to lead on UK creative after 13 years with Mother
Boots has appointed Ogilvy to lead on its £80 million UK creative account, ending a 13-year relationship with independent agency Mother, according to a report published by Campaign. The move is part of a global decision made by parent Walgreens Boots Alliance to shift...
CLICK HERE
Elementis to grow personal care business with acquisition of SummitReheis for US$360 million
Elementis is set to buy SummitReheis in a bid to grow its personal care business, according to a report published by Reuters. The UK specialty chemicals producer is said to have agreed to buy the US firm for US$360 million from owner One Rock Capital Partners. The...
CLICK HERELATEST NEWS
