Gregg Renfrew is returning to the brand she founded in 2013 as Chief Executive Officer of Beautycounter on February 1 to lead the clean beauty pioneer's next phase of growth, grounded in her mission of getting safer products into the hands of everyone.
Beautycounter’s Board Director Mindy Mackenzie has been acting as interim Chief Executive Officer after a leadership shuffle in June of last year. At the time it was announced, Marc Rey decided, along with the board, to transition the brand “to a new phase of leadership for Beautycounter.”
Rey was appointed in February 2022 when Renfrew stepped down as Chief Executive Officer to serve as the company's Executive Chair and Chief Brand Officer.
Renfrew shared, “Without question, Beautycounter’s greatest opportunities are ahead of us. Consumers are demanding, now more than ever, the things that we have brought to the industry from the very beginning: transparency, health & safety for people and the environment, innovative products, an engaged community and a business that is much more than its bottom line. Who we are, and the work we do, truly matters to so many people. I’m energized to build on our history of disrupting to create a movement for change and a higher industry standard.”
Previously, Renfrew led Beautycounter as CEO for over a decade. Under her leadership, Beautycounter created the first-of-its-kind Never List, a list of more than 2,800 questionable or harmful ingredients not used in the company’s product formulations, pushing other brands to begin taking steps to increase their own safety and transparency.
She also created an army of activists with an innovative business model to drive systemic change through legislative reform. Beautycounter, and its community of Advocates, worked tirelessly to influence the passage of 16 pieces of health and environmentally-protective cosmetics regulation, including the milestone passage of MoCRA (the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act). Renfrew is known for leading a community of Brand Advocates who drive sales and significantly educate their communities about safer beauty.
"We are thrilled to welcome back Gregg to lead Beautycounter in this important next phase of growth. Gregg, as the Founder and inspiration of Beautycounter’s mission, also has a proven track record at the Company for driving results and engaging both Advocates and Associates who work alongside her to make meaningful change,” shared Roberto Marques, Board Chair. “On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Mindy Mackenzie for her service, stepping in as Interim CEO and making meaningful contributions that will no doubt poise Beautycounter for its continued success.”
Mackenzie will continue championing the brand as a member of Beautycounter’s Board of Directors.
“I am looking forward to getting back to working with the team (including some familiar faces joining me again). It’s not going to just be business as usual, and I’m looking forward to raising the bar even higher for our company and the industry at large...Watch out, here we come.” said Renfrew.
In April 2021, The Carlyle Group made a majority investment in Beautycounter that valued the company at $1 billion.
