NEW YORK — Tokyo-based Shiseido Co. Ltd. will promote Heidi Manheimer to chief executive officer of Shiseido Cosmetics (America) Ltd., its U.S. subsidiary here, on Jan. 1.
Now president of U.S. operations, Manheimer, 42, will become the first female to hold the ceo title in the company’s 133-year history. She will succeed Toshio Negami, who is to return to the company’s headquarters in Tokyo to take the post of general manager of the America’s department at Shiseido Co. Ltd.
Also, Toshitada Hori, president and ceo of Shiseido Canada Inc., will be named the U.S. subsidiary’s chief operating officer on Jan. 1, reporting to Manheimer.
Shinzo Maeda, president and ceo of the parent Shiseido Co. Ltd. in Japan, stated that Manheimer’s promotion is “in recognition of her contributions to the company’s growth over the past five years in the competitive U.S. marketplace.” He added, “This new management structure reaffirms the importance of our U.S. business to our overall global growth plan.”
Since Manheimer became president of Shiseido Cosmetics (America) Ltd. more than three years ago, the business has grown by roughly 30 percent to reach $200 million in annual retail sales volume, according to industry sources. Shiseido’s Nars and Zirh brands are not part of the Shiseido Cosmetics (America) Ltd. business structure. In total, net sales of Shiseido Co. Ltd. reached $6.29 billion for 2004.
In addition to her current responsibilities, Manheimer will oversee finance and operations in her new position. Manheimer also will oversee U.S. operations of Beauté Prestige International, Shiseido’s designer fragrance business. She said in an interview Monday she would remain true to the goals she established when she joined the company five years ago — and when she was named to her current post in April 2002.
“The real mission is to continue the growth of Shiseido and Clé de Peau,” she said of brands the firm markets in the U.S., “while maintaining image and awareness” of those brands.
She expressed her delight in the prospect of leading the U.S. market, given Maeda’s worldwide growth strategies, including in China and the U.S. “He seems to have a great vision for taking this company global and that’s exciting.”
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Prior to joining Shiseido Cosmetics (America) Ltd. five years ago as executive vice president and general manager of the company’s prestige brands division, Manheimer had a stint at Beauty.com. Before that, she was the divisional merchandise manager of cosmetics, fragrances and apothecary at Barneys New York, and previously a buyer at Bloomingdale’s.
“The challenges in coming here were making the brand more understood,” Manheimer said, noting that the idea was to “really become immersed in the Shiseido brand, its culture and how it’s run in Asia.” While Shiseido was a leading brand in Asia, attention had to be devoted to bringing the “right brands” over to the U.S., namely product lines such as White Lucent and Shiseido Men.
Today, aside from the fierce competition that characterizes the beauty industry, what may present the greatest challenge is consolidation — “the merger of Federated and May Company,” Manheimer said of Federated Department Stores Inc.’s integration of May Department Stores Co.
Given the department store merger, “one of the greatest [challenges] will be to ensure a smooth transition,” said Manheimer, “and making sure our distribution stays intact.”