The Body Shop (London) announced that David Boynton is stepping down as CEO and that Ian Bickley, a Board Director at parent company Natura &Co (São Paulo), is taking the helm on an interim basis.
In his new role, the company said, Bickley will work with The Body Shop’s leadership team to refine and expand upon its current business plan and accelerate its transformation agenda, to speed up the road to profitability together with a return to sustainable revenue. He will also work with Natura &Co leaders to find a permanent successor to Boynton.
“I am proud and honored to assume the important responsibility of stewarding The Body Shop’s tremendous legacy into the future,” said Bickley, who has worked for such brands as Coach and Crocs. “In these incredibly challenging times, the world needs The Body Shop’s spirit of activism and outstanding social and environmental credentials more than ever. It will be my privilege to support the brand as we move into this next chapter and expand its economic, social, and environmental potential to deliver tangible and impactful results.”
Boynton led The Body Shop’s brand and business transformation following the Natura &Co’s acquisition of the brand from L’Oréal in 2017. “David steered the company through extraordinary circumstances, including the global pandemic, the war in Ukraine, supply chain and cost inflation challenges, and consumer uncertainty. More recently, nearly 500 products have been rejuvenated as well as the launch of the new Changemaking Workshop concept stores,” the company said in a press release.
Founded in England in 1976, The Body Shop now has more than 2500 retail locations (owned and franchised) in 80-plus countries. Its parent company, Brazil’s Natura &Co, is a multi-brand cosmetics group which includes Avon, Natura, The Body Shop and Aesop. (The company recently unveiled plans to sell Aesop to L’Oréal for $2.5 billion).