L’Oréal USA CEO Talks Business Transformation, Culture and Areas for Growth

That was the message from David Greenberg, CEO of L’Oréal USA, during a fireside chat with CEW chairwoman Jill Scalamandre on June 5.

“What remains constant is the focus on products — it’s still about creating amazing items that people desire. It’s about a great lipstick and the sensations it evokes,” Greenberg said when asked about the industry’s evolution over his 30-year career at L’Oréal.

However, the business dynamics have completely transformed. “Back in the day, the shelf space, the marketing mix, and media were your voice,” Greenberg explained. “The rules were straightforward, scale had its advantages, and our goal was to gain market share from competitors. Today, there are no boundaries, no limits; the shelf is infinite, and everyone is welcome.”

Greenberg, who became head of L’Oréal’s U.S. division in 2022 after leading the professional products division for North America, emphasized that despite L’Oréal’s massive scale — with global sales exceeding $44 billion in 2023 — the company maintains an entrepreneurial spirit in both culture and innovation.

“It’s about embracing tomorrow while cherishing the timeless values of the past: the entrepreneurial spirit, valuing people, fostering creativity, and maintaining an open-minded approach,” he said.

“We’re the global beauty leader, but we constantly challenge ourselves from a sense of innate inadequacy, always believing we can do better,” Greenberg continued. “That’s how you create a modern culture, where people are treated respectfully, and we find ways to challenge each other. If consumers are challenging us, we emphasize resiliency as a core value.”

Fostering company culture is paramount to Greenberg’s role, and he is actively encouraging his workforce to return to the office. “The most important part of my job is to try to foster, convey, and nurture a culture,” he stated. “It’s hard to do that when you don’t see anybody.”

Despite L’Oréal’s respect for its heritage, the company is rapidly evolving. “In 2005, we declared we were going to be a digital company. Within 36 months, we became digital leaders,” he said. “Now, we’re focusing on Beauty Tech, which to us means a full ecosystem of technology deployed to improve how we work.”