Coty Inc. Announces Appointment of New OPI General Manager, Mary Van Praag

The New GM, Currently at Helm of Coty Canada, Will Work Alongside OPI's Longtime Artistic Director, Suzi Weiss-Fischmann

TORONTO, Nov. 21, 2013 /CNW/ - Leading global beauty company Coty Inc. (NYSE:COTY) announced today the appointment of Mary van Praag to general manager of one of its signature global brands, OPI. Van Praag will step into the role on Jan. 1, 2014, to lead the brand's further growth and expansion, as founder and CEO George Schaeffer announces his retirement. Schaeffer will continue to work with OPI's management team through a newly created role as OPI's strategic board adviser. Van Praag's successor will be announced in the coming weeks.

Van Praag successfully led Coty's mass channel sales organization in the U.S. for three years, after which she was promoted to her current role managing Coty's business in Canada. She has been instrumental in turning Coty Canada's mass channel business around as well as building and developing a stronger organization. In the OPI GM role, she will replace John Heffner, who has left the organization to pursue other career interests, and she will collaborate with OPI Artistic Director Suzi Weiss-Fischmann.

Since its founding in 1981, OPI has become one of the beauty industry's most iconic and successful nail care brands. With a portfolio of more than 400 creatively named unique shades, OPI has for the past three decades linked fashion and entertainment with colour cosmetics. Today the OPI brand remains the leading professional nail care brand in the world.

"Mary has demonstrated her tremendous skill at building the Coty business in every position she has held with us," said Michele Scannavini, CEO, Coty Inc. "We are thrilled that she will now lead the OPI brand to even greater heights and further capitalize on the grand legacy George Schaeffer has given us."

"I have worked closely with Mary over the past several years as she has created success after success in our mass channel business," said Renato Semerari, president, Coty Beauty. "Pairing her with OPI is a perfect match of strength with strength; I am very excited to see her apply her talents to this brand."

"My work with Coty has been extremely rewarding—both personally and professionally," said van Praag. "I am so happy to be given the opportunity to continue to develop as a leader and to be able to work with George and Suzi on growing and developing such a legendary brand."

Van Praag is a graduate of Miami University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business with a major in Marketing. She also completed an Executive Management Program in General Management at Harvard Business School.

About Coty Inc.
Coty is a leading global beauty company with net revenues of $4.6 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013. Founded in Paris in 1904, Coty is a pure play beauty company with a portfolio of well-known fragrances, colour cosmetics and skin & body care products sold in over 130 countries and territories. Coty's product offerings include such global brands as adidas, Calvin Klein, Chloé, Davidoff, Marc Jacobs, OPI, philosophy, Playboy, Rimmel and Sally Hansen.

Image with caption: "Coty Inc. Announces Appointment of New OPI General Manager, Mary Van Praag. The New GM, Currently at Helm of Coty Canada, Will Work Alongside OPI's Longtime Artistic Director, Suzi Weiss-Fischmann (CNW Group/Coty Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20131121_C9597_PHOTO_EN_33686.jpg

SOURCE: Coty Inc.

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