.jpg)
NEW YORK—Catherine Walsh has resigned her role as chief communications officer at Coty Inc, after 14 years with the beauty products company.
Walsh, who joined Coty in 2001, has served as SVP and chief communications officer for the past two years, after previously leading global marketing for the company. She has been described as the company's "secret weapon", responsible for pioneering Coty's celebrity fragrance partnerships.
Her departure comes four months after Coty CEO Michele Scannavini resigned for "personal reasons," and less than a year since the company implemented a new organizational structure, based on regions and categories. Tough conditions in the North American fragrance market have hampered Coty's growth in recent quarters.
A Coty spokesperson told the Holmes Report that "after much thought and consideration, Catherine Walsh has decided to resign to pursue other opportunities in luxury and fashion."
In the interim, Coty's communications function will be report to interim CEO and chairman Bart Becht. "Her other duties will be handled by the categories and innovation division," added the spokesperson.
Walsh was charged with overseeing Coty's corporate image, financial communication, digital capabilities and internal communications. She led a cross-divisional team that included representatives from different departments, including corporate PR, corporate sustainability, global digital and employee communication.
Prior to joining Coty, Walsh spent several years in senior product and marketing roles at Estee Lauder.
According to the WSJ, Coty—whose products include fragrances under the Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs labels—"has sought a return to revenue growth by working to improve sales in North America while expanding its reach into emerging markets."
