Alexis Perakis-Valat

I’ve always felt like a citizen of the world. I’ve always been fascinated by the infinite diversity of our planet. My career at L’Oréal (25 years and counting!) has fed that hunger—and also made me want to keep discovering more. L’Oréal has offered me the opportunity to spend the majority of my career abroad. My first P&L responsibility was for a small business unit in Belgium when I was 27. Over the years, I’ve had the chance to live and work in Spain, the US, Germany and most recently China, where I spent 6 incredible years. Now I’m back in France as the global head of the Consumer Products Division. These experiences have strengthened my belief in the power of difference. The power of building teams with people that bring different cultures, backgrounds and points of view to the table. Teams that build and nurture brands, all around the world, and help them pass the test of time. Teams that embrace change and are passionate about imagining the future. I also deeply believe in the power of beauty. Because beauty is essential to our lives. Caring about beauty is a foundational element of what makes us human. I come from the island of Crete in Greece. In the Heraklion Archaeological Museum there, you can see a Bronze Age fresco with a Minoan woman wearing lipstick, eyeliner, face powder. Her hair has been attentively styled. Beauty is timeless. I’m proud to work for a company that creates the beauty that moves the world.