EXCLUSIVE: Philippe Pinatel Heads to Merit Beauty as CEO
MAC Cosmetics’ former global brand president has a new gig.
Philippe Pinatel, who previously helmed the makeup powerhouse at the Estée Lauder Cos., is heading to Merit Beauty, Katherine Power’s minimalist beauty brand that debuted in early 2021.
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According to a statement from the brand, its Solo Shadow eye shadow reached $1 million in sales within two weeks of launching.
“In just our third year of business, Merit was highly profitable and drove well over $100 million in omnichannel retail sales in 2023, which is a testament to our commitment to excellence across the board. As founder and chairperson, I look forward to working closely with Philippe and the rest of our exceptional leadership team to continue delivering best-in-class products and differentiated creative vision,” Power said in an email.
Pinatel departed MAC earlier this year, and was succeeded by Aïda Moudachirou-Rebois. “Katherine has built an extraordinary brand that has quickly cemented itself as a leader in the modern beauty landscape, in large part due to its remarkably engaged and differentiated consumer base,” Pinatel said in a statement. “I am excited to contribute to its ongoing success and continue to innovate, create and elevate the beauty experience for our customers.”
Since its launch, Merit has expanded into the U.K. and closed a $20 million series A funding round led by L Catterton.
“Merit has rapidly established itself as a beloved brand with a deep and loyal customer base and has achieved scale at an extraordinary rate while delivering best-in-class profitability,” said Courtney Nelson, principal, L Catterton. “Our outstanding management team at Merit continues to grow with the addition of Philippe.”
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