nd there was one person whose name kept coming up who Kyle Leahy and I knew would be the perfect fit,” wrote Weis. “Even on my first call with our recruiter, he said, ‘I mean, what you want is a Colin Walsh type. That’s the dream.’ “Colin is one of the top CEOs in beauty, who has led brands through incredible growth. He is respected and adored by peers and his teams alike, and most importantly, he believes deeply in brand magic. A true lover of beauty, of people and their potential, and of having a good time while working hard, we are so excited to have him guide this next chapter for Glossier.” Walsh will join the team as CEO in October.  As Weiss mentioned in her post, Walsh has served as CEO for several major beauty companies, including DevaCurl, Ouai and Procter & Gamble’s specialty beauty division.  It is this in-depth experience in the beauty industry that has led some retail experts to say that Glossier is in good hands.  “Colin Walsh brings to Glossier a proven track record of building, scaling and turning around beauty brands that resonate deeply with younger audiences,” Kimber Maderazzo, a professor of marketing at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School and seasoned beauty executive, told Inside Retail. Bringing in a beauty veteran to lead Glossier down a new path  “As CEO of Ouai, he helped create a cult-following brand known for its clean-luxury positioning, influencer partnerships and strong social media voice, all hallmarks of a brand built with millennials and Gen Z in mind,” Maderazzo elaborated.  She noted that Walsh’s experience leading leadership at Procter & Gamble’s specialty beauty division, where he oversaw fast-growing brands like Farmacy, Tula, First Aid Beauty, Ouai and Mielle, further demonstrates his ability to scale independent brands without losing their identity. Maderazzo added that Walsh is highly regarded across the industry as a respected leader, with founders, boards and peers consistently recognising his ability to balance creativity with operational discipline.  “His reputation is such that Glossier’s leadership specifically sought someone ‘like Colin Walsh’ during their CEO search, underlining the respect and support he commands,” Maderazzo. However, Maderazzo warned that experience alone won’t help the brand find favour with a younger generation of shoppers.  “To ensure Glossier’s continued success with Gen Z consumers, Walsh will need to lean into the strengths that defined his past achievements. That means doubling down on community and co-creation, listening closely to the consumer and involving them in product development in authentic ways,” she said. She said that Walsh must also protect Glossier’s unique brand voice as the company scales into new categories and distribution channels, while ensuring that the brand doesn’t lose the ‘cool factor’ that originally made it beloved.  “Authentic storytelling and meaningful creator partnerships will be key, as Gen Z responds best to real, unfiltered voices rather than over-polished campaigns,” explained Maderazzo. However, she believes that Walsh’s operational expertise will help Glossier move faster with trend-driven launches, while his wellness experience will open opportunities to expand into categories that resonate with younger consumers.  “Finally,” Maderazzo said, “Walsh will need to reinforce Glossier’s values around inclusivity, sustainability and transparency, areas that Gen Z views as non-negotiable. If he can balance innovation, speed and cultural relevance with Glossier’s community-first ethos, Walsh is well-positioned to lead the brand into its next phase of growth.” Similarly, CI&T’s global director of retail strategy, Melissa Minkow commented that Walsh’s extensive experience in the world of beauty, especially with brands like Ouai, which he joined at a crucial growth phase in 2018, will make him a “perfect fit for this role”. “Though Glossier is well established, the beauty space is in a much different place than it was when Glossier first entered the scene. Moving out of direct-to-consumer and into specialty and mass retail strategically is crucial for brands today,” said Minkow.  While Glossier still has its beloved heritage and cult-favourite products to stand by, Minkow pointed out that the brand needs to focus on digital innovation, marketing magic and the development of new cult products to ensure a successful path ahead. That being said, with Walsh, Minkow concluded, Glossier is better equipped to stage a successful, Gen Z-led comeback much like other millennial-favourite brands like Gap, J.Crew and Abercrombie & Fitch.