Prior to taking over from Jean-Paul Agon as CEO of L’Oréal in 2021, Nicolas Hieronimus spent 10 years as president of the multinational’s money-spinning Luxe Division.
During his watch, some of L’Oréal’s blockbuster fragrances made their debut, including Lancôme La Vie Est Belle, YSL Beauty’s Black Opium and Libre and Si by Giorgio Armani. All of them continue to be among the biggest-selling fragrances in the world and shore up L’Oréal’s leadership of the fine fragrance sector.
To celebrate such a major contribution to the global fragrance industry and his continuing role as head of the world’s largest beauty company, the US Fragrance Foundation has awarded its 2023 Hall of Fame Award to Hieronimus. The prestigious honour will be awarded during this year’s US Fragrance Foundation Awards on June 15th in New York.
Hieronimus is only the sixth CEO of L’Oréal in the company’s 113 year history, but has long been a major force behind the success of the multinational’s fragrance portfolio, including Lancôme, YSL Beauty, Giorgio Armani, Viktor & Rolf, Cacherel, Diesel, Ralph Lauren and more recently Prada and Valentino.
L’Oréal has also been a leader in sustainability in the category with major fragrances such as Lancôme La Vie Est Belle and Prada Paradoxe available in refill. Technology has also been a strong trajectory. Last year, L’Oréal launched YSL Beauty Scent-Sation, an in-store EEG- tracking device that helps consumer choose the right experience by analysing their emotional response to different scents.
Fragrance plays an enormous role in fostering individual wellbeing and contributing positively to society and culture, said Hieronimus. “Over the centuries, perfume has had the power to stimulate our senses, our memories, and our emotions. And we are seeing today that fragrance is more relevant than ever because it helps us connect with ourselves and others.”
We look forward to honouring Nicolas Hieronimus for his leadership, vision and exemplary results in the fragrance category in the USA and globally, said Linda G. Levy, president of the US Fragrance Foundation. “Nicolas is fully committed to #FragranceForwardTFF and shares our values of environmental sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion.”