CEO Sue Y. Nabi on the restructuring of the fragrance manufacturer Coty, phone calls with Kim Kardashian West and perfumes that are sustainable, vegan and gender neutral.
Interview by
Elisabeth Dostert, Versoix
She should fix it now. Sue Y. Nabi, 53, has been the head of the US company Coty for over a year. The largest fragrance manufacturer in the world belongs to the realm of the billionaire Reimann family, who control their investments through JAB Holding. Coty got into trouble with a takeover. In 2015, the company bought a portfolio of fragrances, cosmetics and hair care, including Wella, Gucci, Covergirl, Boss and Max Factor, from the US corporation Procter & Gamble for $ 12.5 billion. After heavy losses, Coty transferred a 60 percent stake in Wella to the financial investor KKR in spring 2020, which at the same time took a 17 percent stake in Coty. In order to open up new target groups, Coty joined the cosmetics groups of influencers Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian West.