Red Door Names CEO

The Red Door by Elizabeth Arden, a leading North American day and resort spa operator, appointed Elizabeth R. Whitman as its president. Whitman joined The Red Door in November 2015, following the company's acquisition of Manicube, the in-office beauty service company Ms. Whitman co-founded in 2012.


In the last two years, Ms. Whitman has been instrumental in driving the company's omnichannel strategy with the launch of two new divisions: Events by The Red Door and The Red Door At Work, which both integrate Manicube's innovative technology platform, mobile protocols and operational logistics. In addition, Whitman assumed the chief marketing officer position in August 2016, overseeing marketing, technology, corporate sales and retail. The company has since repositioned the The Red Door Salon & Spa brand and upgraded its web presence to more effectively engage with consumers. The newly updated thereddoor.com features an easy-to-navigate design and booking platform and introduces The Tease, a blog weaving on-trend content into the narrative of The Red Door's 100-year heritage.


As President, Ms. Whitman will also assume responsibility for operations, design & construction, and human resources. She will also oversee The Red Door's advanced Training and Education programs.


“We are thrilled to have Liz as the president of our Red Door division,” said Todd Walter, CEO of Red Door Spa Holdings. “The achievements she's effected in a short period of time reflect her ability to build, revitalize, and transform the business through strategy and integrated marketing, operations and technology programs. With her dynamic leadership skills, and her technology acumen, she will continue to hone our current leading position.”


“I am honored to continue the momentum at The Red Door. We have the top service providers in the industry and a 100-year history of delivering the best spa experience for our guests,” said Whitman. “Our brand is steeped in that authentic heritage, an excellent platform for innovating our offerings and message for today's consumer. In an age where we're all wired to connect through technology, there's still no substitute for the personalized, real life experiences that The Red Door delivers and that our guests can now discover and book with a convenient click of a button.”


Whitman held previous positions at American Express and Quidsi, an e-commerce company acquired by Amazon. She also has ties to the start up world, having founded two previous businesses and currently advising female-founded entrepreneurs. She graduated from Harvard University and received an MBA from Harvard Business School.