Full Name
John Reed
Job Title
General Manager
Company Name
Kiehl's
Speaker Bio
John Reed is a seasoned beauty executive and currently serves as the U.S. General Manager of Kiehl’s, a L’Oréal-owned brand celebrated for its apothecary heritage and high-performance skincare. Since stepping into the role in 2024, John has led the brand through a period of revitalization—returning Kiehl’s to above-market growth after years of declining performance.
Under his leadership, Kiehl’s has reignited momentum across retail and brand experience. He spearheaded the reopening and remodeling of Kiehl’s stores after years of stagnation and introduced immersive, experiential marketing programs across stores, retail partners, and cultural touchpoints. He also secured and launched an exclusive amenity partnership that reinforces Kiehl’s elevated positioning. Internally, he has fostered an entrepreneurial culture rooted in agility, collaboration, and deep community connections.
Before joining Kiehl’s, John played a pivotal role in the rise of CeraVe—a brand he began working on at Bausch + Lomb and continued to scale following its acquisition by L’Oréal USA in 2017. As General Manager, he was instrumental in building CeraVe’s global marketing strategy, driving international expansion, and strengthening its connection with the dermatology community. He also led the integration of L’Oréal’s dermatological sales organizations across La Roche-Posay, Vichy, SkinBetter Science, and SkinCeuticals, unifying operations and accelerating growth across the portfolio.
John’s career began at Johnson & Johnson, where he worked on the bodycare and baby categories before transitioning to Bausch + Lomb to lead AcneFree and CeraVe. Across every role, his ability to understand skincare consumers, cultivate strategic partnerships with dermatologists, and execute with vision has set him apart.
He holds an MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Known for his collaborative leadership style and strategic clarity, John continues to guide Kiehl’s forward by blending the brand’s heritage with fresh cultural relevance and commercial momentum.
Under his leadership, Kiehl’s has reignited momentum across retail and brand experience. He spearheaded the reopening and remodeling of Kiehl’s stores after years of stagnation and introduced immersive, experiential marketing programs across stores, retail partners, and cultural touchpoints. He also secured and launched an exclusive amenity partnership that reinforces Kiehl’s elevated positioning. Internally, he has fostered an entrepreneurial culture rooted in agility, collaboration, and deep community connections.
Before joining Kiehl’s, John played a pivotal role in the rise of CeraVe—a brand he began working on at Bausch + Lomb and continued to scale following its acquisition by L’Oréal USA in 2017. As General Manager, he was instrumental in building CeraVe’s global marketing strategy, driving international expansion, and strengthening its connection with the dermatology community. He also led the integration of L’Oréal’s dermatological sales organizations across La Roche-Posay, Vichy, SkinBetter Science, and SkinCeuticals, unifying operations and accelerating growth across the portfolio.
John’s career began at Johnson & Johnson, where he worked on the bodycare and baby categories before transitioning to Bausch + Lomb to lead AcneFree and CeraVe. Across every role, his ability to understand skincare consumers, cultivate strategic partnerships with dermatologists, and execute with vision has set him apart.
He holds an MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Known for his collaborative leadership style and strategic clarity, John continues to guide Kiehl’s forward by blending the brand’s heritage with fresh cultural relevance and commercial momentum.
Speaking At
