Cory Couts named President of z.one concept North America
Milan, Italy—January 30, 2024—Beautynova Group, backed by Bluegem Capital Partners, which operates in North America under the subsidiary z.one concept USA, and globally markets milk_shake, Depot, Medavita, NO INHIBITION and simply zen, among other coveted European beauty brands, today named Cory Couts as president, North America. Known for building both entrepreneurial and legacy global beauty brands, Couts will lead the Italian company’s major expansion efforts in North America.
Couts has brought his signature practices and style to a variety of leadership roles in the professional hair care arena for more than two decades. As global president of Kao Corporation’s salon division, he oversaw the 360-degree strategies of trusted brands Goldwell and KMS and was the architect of the company’s acquisition of the Oribe brand. Most recently, he served as senior vice president, global professional sales for Olaplex, Inc., a fast-moving leader in omni-channel haircare. In his new role, Couts will report directly to Stefano Banfo, CEO of Beautynova.
“To ignite our aggressive expansion plans, we needed an experienced and well-respected leader who understands both the North American market and the professional hair care industry in depth and relates to his team and their customers as a true partner. We found that in Cory Couts,” says Banfo. “Above all, this is a people business, and Cory has achieved great success through his leadership style and commitment to hairdressers. Add to those his keen insights for building teams, systems and strategies that help distributors and salons make a difference, and we are ready to embark on the aggressive North American expansion that will bring our vision of putting hair well-being first.”
Adds Couts, “Stefano’s vision for Beautynova and its brands, and how they can support the industry, has intrigued and inspired me—it’s a refreshing take on how to move both the company and the professional beauty industry as a whole forward. That, combined with strong brands, high-performing products and a company goal to be known as ‘the home of responsible beauty,’ creates a winning combination for growth.”
About Beautynova
Beautynova was formed in 2020 through an acquisition and consolidation process, from 2012, of some of the most innovative professional haircare brands, becoming one of the largest global independent platforms in the industry. The group owns a premium portfolio of brands, including milk_shake, which accounts for over 50% of revenues, and Medavita, recognized for its highly effective and innovative professional treatment range. The group is a leading developer of professional haircare products, with over 18,000 owned formulations. Today, the group generates 75% of revenues outside of Italy, its home market, and exports to more than 70 countries. Visit www.beautynova.com.
About Bluegem Capital Partners LLP
BLUEGEM, the investor behind Beautynova, is a European specialist private equity firm investing in consumer staple businesses across the value chain, underpinned by non-discretionary demand and supported by megatrend tailwinds. The BLUEGEM Investment Team works alongside experienced portfolio management and functional experts to deploy a proven toolkit for accelerating value creation. The BLUEGEM value acceleration playbook is underpinned by data analytics and includes, among other things, 360-degree digitalization of the businesses (including the use of artificial intelligence), international expansion and product innovation. With a track record of investing across Europe through different economic cycles, BLUEGEM focuses on six distinct consumer segments: Beauty & Personal Care, Home Care, Baby Care, Pet Care, Food & Beverage, and Health & Wellbeing. Visit www.bluegemcp.com.
Media Contact: Jayne Morehouse jayne@jayneandco.com/ 440-846-6022
