Sally Beauty Holdings board chair to step down

Sally Beauty Holdings, which distributes professional hair and beauty supplies globally, has announced that Robert McMaster is stepping down as board chair at the end of his current term and will retire as a director at the company’s annual meeting of shareholders on January 26, 2023.

As McMaster is not standing for re-election, Sally Beauty Holdings' board of directors have confirmed Diana Ferguson, current independent director, as its chair-elect. Ferguson has been a director at the company since 2019 and currently serves as chair of the compensation and talent committee and brings a track record of success in corporate financial management, strategic planning and transaction execution.

In addition, Ed Rabin, Marshall Eisenberg and John Miller have also announced their upcoming retirements from the board and will not be standing for re-election. These retirements follow the appointment of Rachel Bishop, Jeffrey Boyer and Chip Molloy to the board in July 2022 to enhance the board’s expertise in retail operations, strategy and finance.

Denise Paulonis, president and chief executive officer at Sally Beauty Holdings, said in a statement: “On behalf of our board, executive management team and all Sally Beauty Holdings associates, I would like to thank Bob, Ed, Marshall and John for their significant contributions to the company’s growth over the past 16 years.

“Together, they have been instrumental in helping to grow Sally into a global international omnichannel retailer that is beloved by our community of DIY beauty enthusiasts and professional stylists. Over the past year, Diana has contributed meaningfully to the establishment of the company’s future-focused strategic pillars with her insights, commitment, financial expertise and Board experience. She is an outstanding choice to lead our board, and I look forward to working with Diana in her new capacity.”

Sally Beauty Supply, part of Sally Beauty Holdings, operates in 12 countries including the UK, Ireland, the US and the Netherlands, and offers products for hair colour, hair care, nails, and skincare, including professional lines from Wella, Clairol, OPI, and L’Oreal. While its Beauty Systems Group stores, branded as CosmoProf or Armstrong McCall stores, along with its outside sales consultants, sell up to 8,000 professionally branded products including Paul Mitchell, Wella, Matrix, Schwarzkopf, Kenra, Goldwell, Joico and Olaplex, intended for use in salons and for resale by salons to retail consumers.