Shaping the Future of Beauty

L’Oréal has emerged from a massive transformation journey successfully expanding its leadership position in a highly disrupted market. WDHB has supported the evolution in the organization’s thinking around how to respond to the various shifts observed in customers, markets, technologies, employees and practices.

Context & Challenge

For over 110 years, L’Oréal has devoted its energy and competencies to one sole business: beauty. As the global number one in this field, L’Oréal is present with a flotilla of 36 complimentary brands in 150 countries on five continents. In 2019, the 88,000 employees have contributed to sales of 29.9 billion euros.

A few years ago, L’Oréal has embarked on an important transformation. What was triggered by the desire to build digital into the company’s DNA has expanded into a more fundamental overhaul of the organization’s thinking around how to respond to the various evolutions observed in customers, markets, technologies, employees and practices.

Collaboration with WDHB

After choosing WDHB as partner in a highly competitive selection process and demonstrating highest satisfaction after a number of high stakes projects, L’Oréal has concluded a framework contract establishing a formal relationship with WDHB as a groupwide provider of experiential learning programs. Our teams continue to work with business leaders and learning specialists in the design of impactful opportunities for change and growth.

As L’Oréal has shifted gears in its change journey, moving from the initial focus of digital transformation to digital acceleration and embracing the ambition of becoming a digital-first company, expeditions, events and programs have evolved to address new focus areas and incorporate additional elements on cultural and managerial practices into the learning objectives.

Highlight

In the video below, we talk to Bérengère de Laporte, L’Oréal’s Global Head Digital Upskilling & Transformation, about the longstanding partnership between L’Oréal and WDHB, and especially about “L’OréalCon”, a Learning Expedition like none we’ve done before:

The success of our first programs on digital transformation and the magnitude of change the beauty market was facing, led to L’Oréal trusting us with diverse audiences. Highlights include:

Learning Expeditions

• Executive Committee (1 in San Francisco, 1 in Seattle)

Immersive Development Programs

• L’Oréal China (Shanghai)
• Lancôme (New York City)

Learning Expeditions

• Brand President Community (New York City & San Francisco)
• Community of Country CEOs and Zone Directors (Los Angeles & San Francisco)

Learning Expeditions

• Operation Management Committee (San Francisco & Seattle)
• Professional Products Management Committee (New York City)
• Travel Retail Management Committee (Dallas & San Francisco)

Senior Leadership Meetings

• Consumer Products Division (London & Paris)
• Asia Pacific Zone (Seoul, Hong Kong, & Kuala Lumpur)
• Eastern Europe & Africa, Middle East Zones (Dublin & Berlin)

Impact

Learning Expeditions, Senior Leadership Meetings and localized Immersive Programs have become important people and strategy development tools in L’Oréal’s register.

In conjunction with other change efforts, they have been integral in getting decision-makers on the same page, expanding their contextual awareness about shifts and opportunities and accelerating the transformation journey making L’Oréal an undisputed digital trailblazer – not only in beauty but across the luxury and consumer industries.

While serving as platforms for strategic discovery on topics of paramount importance to L’Oréal, Learning Expeditions continue to provide occasions to explore, renew and deepen relations with important players and ecosystems around the world – often resulting in new collaborations and partnerships.

Together with Senior Leadership Meetings, they also keep on being moments for teams to sync up, define priorities, foster empathy and – last but not least – build community.

“The program helped align our newly established organization and leadership team to deine our desired future and strategic frame with a clear roadmap.”

Stracy Shen
Vice President of Human Relations, L’Oreal North Asia & China