Hundreds of beauty leaders from 50 countries are in Palm Beach, FL, this week for the 124th annual meeting of the Personal Care Product Council. 


"We are thrilled to once again welcome thought leaders from every corner of the globe to our annual meeting," said Council President and CEO Lezlee Westine. "It is our pleasure to present an impressive lineup of accomplished speakers and relevant content, designed to complement the opportunities and challenges faced by our industry today."


The Council elected George Calvert, chief supply chain officer, Amway, as board chair. He replaces Thia Breen, former group president, North America, The Estée Lauder Companies, who served as chair for three years.


In her farewell speech to members, Breen reflected on the accomplishments achieved during her tenure and asserted that, “we touch consumers’ lives from the very moment they wake up, until the moment they go to sleep. We are the choices they make for themselves, and for their families, many, many times throughout the day. There’s nothing more personal than that.”


The following officers were also officially elected to the board: 

• Vice Chairs—Andrea d’Avack, president of Chanel Foundation & global head of corporate responsibility, Chanel; David Greenberg, group president of professional products division North America, L’Oréal; Alex Keith, president, global hair care and beauty sector, Procter & Gamble; Jeff Smith, company group chairman for North America, Johnson & Johnson.

• Secretary—Shannon Curtin, senior vice president, consumer beauty division, Coty;

• Treasurer—David Holl, president and chief executive officer, Mary Kay.


In his opening remarks, Calvert reminded attendees that "telling our story is more important now than ever. It is essential that we break through the noise to help consumers, NGOs, reporters and policymakers better understand just how scientifically sophisticated our industry is, how strong our commitment to product and ingredient safety is, and where to find information when they have questions or concerns.


During PCPC Week, the 2018 program includes presentations and panel discussions with experts on topics such as “Driving Customer-Centered Innovation”; “Intersectionality of Identity: Knowing it isn’t Enough”; “Cybersecurity: What You Can (and Can't) Do to Protect Yourself & Your Business”; “What Does the Trump Administration Mean For the Personal Care Industry?”; “Driving the Beauty Industry Forward with Data” and “The Future of Beauty: Influencing Next Gen Consumer Preferences.” 


Speakers include best-selling authors, former White House staff, editors from Allure, Condé Nast and Refinery29, and executives from Google.


In partnership with this year’s Platinum Sponsor, beautykind, the Look Good Feel Better Foundation is challenging attendees to participate in random acts of kindness through the Power of Beauty…Power of Kind Challenge. To kick off the initiative and inspire reciprocal action, beautykind has agreed to donate $10,000 to the Foundation.


“The beauty industry gives back in so many ways,” said Westine. “Together, we have the power to transform lives and inspire confidence every day – beginning with these acts of kindness toward one another, for which I am so grateful.”