Chanel has named former Rare Beauty CMO Katie Welch as its new Head of Brand and Communications in the US.
Welch, who has headed up marketing at the Selena Gomez-founded make-up brand for more than six years, will join the French luxury giant on 5 January 2026.
She also spent a year as General Manager, Beauty, at actress Jessica Alba’s beauty brand The Honest Company, as well as several marketing roles at Hourglass Cosmetics.
In her new role with Chanel, Welch will oversee the French giant’s beauty and fashion lines and report to President Stéphane Blanchard.
Her remit also includes shaping and amplifying Chanel’s brand presence across the US.
“Katie is a dynamic leader who brings both strategic vision and creative instinct to her work,” said Blanchard.
“Her deep understanding of brand storytelling, her collaborative leadership style, and her ability to connect with audiences through creativity and purpose make her uniquely suited to lead this next chapter for Chanel in the US.”
Welch’s departure from Rare Beauty follows Gomez’s business being valued at an estimated US$2.7bn in 2025.
Welch is set to join Chanel during a challenging year for the French beauty business, after it announced in January this year that it was cutting 70 US jobs.
Chanel also warned of a “challenging environment” in the luxury goods market for 2025, which followed the business reporting a downturn in revenues in 2024.
The luxury beauty and fragrance house saw revenues sink $18.7bn, down 4.3% compared with 2023, while operating profits also slumped by 30% to $4,479m during the year.
Chanel has been investing significantly in its worldwide distribution network to drive new growth in 2025.
This includes further expansion into markets such as India and Mexico, as well as new boutiques in Mainland China, Japan and Canada.