L'Oreal appoints UK chief of luxury products arm

by Joanna Bowery, Marketing 17-Aug-05

L'Oreal UK has named Jean-Pierre Charriton as managing director of its UK and Ireland luxury products division, with ultimate control of a number of world-famous brands including Lancome and Giorgio Armani.

French-born Charriton is currently general manager of L'Oreal's luxury
products business in Korea. He will replace Signe Gammeltoft, who has
become global president of Ralph Lauren fragrances in New York.

Charitton will work alongside UK consumer chief Sophie Gasperment, who

handles a brand portfolio worth £71m. He will be based at
L'Oreal's UK headquarters in Hammersmith.

He will be responsible for all the company's prestige brands, including
Kiehl's, Shu Uemura, Ralph Lauren, Biotherm, Cacharel, Viktor & Rolf and
Paloma Picasso fragrances. The total UK marketing spend for the brands
is about £12m.

ZenithOptimedia handles the division's pan-European media planning and
buying account.

Charitton's L'Oreal career began in the Biotherm International marketing
department. He progressed to European marketing director at Biotherm,
before moving to the Far East to head the luxury products division.

The UK and Ireland luxury products business employs 1167 people across
four sites.

Charitton said he would focus on maintaining the group's position of
leading UK fragrance manufacturer, and growing newer brands here such as
Biotherm.