Procter & Gamble has announced the departure of Colin Walsh from the role of CEO of its specialty beauty division, effective August 1.
John Brownlee, currently SVP of North America hair care, will absorb Walsh’s duties while retaining his existing responsibilities, according to a WWD report.
Walsh took on the role as CEO of specialty beauty, whose brands include haircare brand Ouai, skincare brand Tula, and First Aid Beauty, in June 2023, one year after P&G launched the division in 2022.
Prior to that, Walsh served as CEO of Ouai for three years, after serving as CEO of DevaCurl and holding senior leadership roles at L’Oréal-owned Matrix and Redken, respectively.
Last year, Walsh co-founded gut health brand, YayDay, alongside his Ryan Lietar, Tula founder Dr. Roshini Raj.
“Being part of the creation and early development of specialty beauty has been a tremendous opportunity and will always be deeply meaningful to me,” said Walsh, in a statement obtained by the U.S. trade publication.
“I’m grateful for everything I’ve learned during my time with P&G and for the opportunities I’ve had to impact the growth and direction of this business, and especially coaching and empowering the talented and inspiring teams of specialty beauty.”
A P&G veteran with over two decades of experience at the consumer goods giant, Brownlee worked in varied leadership positions across oral care, skin care, and professional hair before overseeing the North America hair care business.
The executive played a crucial role in the U.S. company’s acquisition of Mielle Organics, joining the firm’s other haircare brands — Herbal Essences, Head & Shoulders, Native and Pantene.
The leadership reshuffles comes just weeks after the world’s largest consumer goods firm revealed plans to cut 7,000 jobs over the next two years.
The firm said it also plans to exit some product categories and brands in certain markets, including some potential divestitures, as part of the broader two-year restructuring plan.
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