Wella Company appoints Frank Smalla Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer

(NEW YORK/GENEVA – March 22, 2023)—Global beauty leader Wella Company today announced the appointment of Frank Smalla as Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer, a newly created role. Since Wella Company became a stand-alone entity now owned by the American global investment firm KKR & Co., Inc. (NYSE: KKR), the company has delivered year-over-year double-digit growth and is one of the fastest growing companies in the beauty sector. Wella Company’s history goes back more than 140 years, and its portfolio is uniquely focused on professional and retail hair, nail, and beauty tech brands.

Frank Smalla joins Wella Company as the organization’s transformation is building capability and expanding into new categories and markets. A highly proven finance and corporate operations leader who brings more than 25 years of international experience to the role, Frank’s career spans all facets of corporate finance for publicly traded multinational consumer goods companies, including high-growth businesses.

Frank joins Wella Company from Boston Beer Company (NYSE: SAM), a fast-growing consumer company with leading beer and alcohol brands where he has served as Chief Financial Officer since 2016. During his 7-year tenure with Boston Beer Company, he oversaw an unprecedented era of both growth and transformation, doubling revenues as the company entered new categories, while also capitalizing on growing the existing businesses. Prior to Boston Beer, Frank had a successful 20+ year career with Kraft Foods Group, Inc. (now The Kraft Heinz Company, NYSE: KHC), where he directed finance operations across multiple functions, business units, and geographies including EMEA, and the Americas. Frank also serves on the board of G&L Holdings Inc. where he Chairs the Audit Committee.

“Frank is the right leader at the right time to accelerate Wella Company’s transformation and enable us to fast-track our maturation into a best-in-class beauty leader,” said Annie Young-Scrivner, CEO Wella Company.

“The opportunity to take an iconic business whose brands have such high-growth potential and unlock its full value is a once-in-a-career opportunity,” added Frank.

Wella Company’s portfolio includes Wella Professionals, Wella retail, OPI, ghd, Briogeo, Nioxin, Sebastian Professionals, and Clairol. The New York and Geneva, Switzerland, based company operates in more than 100 countries and employs more than 6,000 employees.

Wella Company is an innovative global leader in the beauty industry that combines 140 + years of earned wisdom and industry experience with the enthusiastic growth momentum of a newly minted independent entity. Marking two years as a stand-alone business, Wella Company is one of the fastest growing companies in the beauty sector.

The company has a portfolio of iconic professional and retail hair, nail, and cutting-edge beauty tech brands and serves legions of artists and owners across the professional hair and nail community in more than 100 countries where it operates.

Each day, a diverse community of more than 91 million beauty lovers and industry professionals, social influencers, ambassadors, followers, employees, and customers engage and are impacted by our products across the globe.

With the belief that business can be a catalyst for positive change, Wella Company acts to enable people, organizations, and societies to collectively prosper. Sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) are at the core of Wella Company’s purpose-agenda. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are also at the heart of who we are, how we operate and in how we support the industry and communities we serve.

ESG and commercial growth are inherently connected to how we measure our value. Wella Company is building the best beauty company in the industry, ensuring that when the industry thrives, we thrive. And as we make progress on our agenda to care for our planet, and leave a positive impact on society, we will become a champion for change whose legacy will be worthy of our iconic history.

For more information on Wella Company visit www.wellacompany.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.