L’Oréal Groupe has named a new boss to lead its Lancôme brand as longstanding chief Françoise Lehmann is set to step down.
Lehmann will leave Lancôme this summer after 12 years as Global Brand President, and 37 years at L’Oréal Groupe.
Vania Lacascade, currently Group Innovation Director at L’Oréal Research & Innovation will succeed Lehmann in the role this summer.
Previously Global Brand President of French dermocosmetic brand Vichy, Lacascade has held a number of roles at L’Oréal, including leading international global skin care marketing for Lancôme and deputy general manager for The Body Shop International.
Lehmann held a wide variety of roles in different divisions, including Global Brand President of premium hair care line Kérastase and marketing director for L’Oréal Paris Hair Colour and the Maybelline make-up brand.
L’Oréal praised her “sharp strategic vision, her pragmatic approach, her unwavering energy, her culture of proactive innovation in the service of women, and her ability to lead teams” in a statement, which “have propelled Lancôme to the rank of the world’s leading luxury beauty brand”.
The beauty giant thanked Lehmann for her “immense contribution, her unwavering commitment, and her tireless dedication to the brands she served and the teams who worked alongside her”.
The latest move comes after L’Oréal named company veteran Delphine Viguer-Hovasse its first-ever Chief Innovation & Prospective Officer.
The new role has been established to “further strengthen” the French beauty giant’s “leadership within the dynamic and fast-evolving beauty landscape”, read a statement from the company.
Currently serving as Global Brand President of L’Oréal Paris, she will take up the new role from 1 July.
Succeeding her will be Laetitia Toupet-Delon.