Glossier has entered a new chapter in its leadership journey, officially naming Colin Walsh as CEO effective October 2025, following the announced exit of current chief executive Kyle Leahy. This significant appointment comes after an extensive search described by founder Emily Weiss as seeking a Colin Walsh-type, a testament to the beauty industry veteran’s reputation.
“What You Want Is a Colin Walsh Type”
Weiss shared her perspective on the transition: “Even on my first call with our recruiter, he said, ‘I mean, what you want is a Colin Walsh type. That’s the dream.’ Now, Colin will officially join our team this October.” Walsh, formerly at the helm of Procter & Gamble’s specialty beauty division and CEO of Ouai, brings more than a decade of category-shaping experience to Glossier’s top post.
During her three-year leadership, Leahy oversaw Glossier’s transition from an online direct-to-consumer disruptor to…
a mainstream retail player. Kyle Leahy praised Walsh in a LinkedIn post, “he brings deep beauty expertise across categories and stages of companies, and I am confident he is the right person to lead Glossier into its next chapter. Colin is devoted to the customer and leads with heart.
He cares deeply about this incredibly special brand and equally importantly the people building it.” Leahy’s leadership marked key milestones, including Glossier’s launch in retailers like Sephora, Mecca Brands, and Space NK.
While these moves grew Glossier’s global reach and accessibility, they also brought challenges, such as two rounds of layoffs following the Sephora partnership in 2022. The Case for Colin Walsh The excitement around Walsh’s appointment is huge.
“Colin is one of the top CEOs in beauty, who has led brands through incredible growth,” says Weiss. “He is respected and adored by peers and his teams alike, and most importantly, believes deeply in brand magic…
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