 Chris Wermann |
Cosmetics giant Avon Products has hired Chris Wermann to serve in the role of chief communications officer and group VP of corporate relations.
Wermann's appointment becomes effective January 3, 2017. He succeeds current SVP and chief communications officer Cheryl Heinonen, who will be stepping down from the position at the beginning of the year. Heinonen, who formerly counseled consumer clients on branding, international and reputation issues at Burson-Marsteller, has filled the CCO slot at the New York-based direct sales company since 2012.
Wermann joins Avon from UK-based retailer Home Retail Group PLC, where he served as director of corporate affairs. Prior to that he was a longtime regional director of corporate affairs at Kellogg Company, where he led corporate affairs strategy for the food manufacturing giant in Europe. He was also EMEA director of corporate affairs for Avis Europe and a deputy director of corporate affairs at the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Wermann will now head corporate and internal communications at Avon, as well as corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiatives and operational oversight of the Avon Foundation for Women. He’ll report to Avon CEO Sheri McCoy and will be based in London.
Avon is currently the fifth-largest beauty company and second largest direct selling entity in the world. The company, which was founded in 1886, earlier this year announced that it would relocate its headquarters from New York to the UK as part of a three-year turnaround plan to revitalize the company.
Avon (NYSE:AVP) has a market capitalization of $2.51 billion. The company hit its 52-week high of $6.96 on October 25 and bottomed out at $2.21 at the beginning of the year on January 20.
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