Veronique Gabai-Pinsky

Veronique Gabai-Pinsky is a brand builder, bridging creative thinking and business acumen, with a broad understanding of consumers, brands and business models, on a global basis.

After many years leading beauty and fashion companies, Ms Gabai-Pinsky has launched her eponymous brand VERONIQUE GABAI in the Fall of 2019, in the fragrance, beauty and accessories categories, with a direct-to-consumer model in synergy with high end retail partners such as the Neiman Marcus Group, Liberty of London, Printemps, Net-a-Porter.com and more.

At the same time, since 2017, Ms Gabai-Pinsky serves on the board of the two branches of Interparfums (and its audit committee), respectively listed on CAC 40 and the Nasdaq. She also serves since 2019 on the board of Lifetime brands (and its governance and nominating committees), listed on the Nasdaq.

Until June 2018, Ms. Gabai-Pinsky was the President of the Vera Wang Group, overseeing all categories and markets, where she ensured the growth of the bridal category around the world, transformed the business model of the Ready-to-Wear division, strengthened the licensing revenues, notably by growing Kohl’s, its biggest license business by 20% and developed new successful partnerships in Jewelry through the signatures of the Signet licensing agreement in the Western hemisphere and the Chow Tai Fook agreement in China.

Prior to joining Vera Wang, Ms. Gabai-Pinsky spent 13 years at the Estee Lauder Companies, as the Global President for Aramis and Designers Fragrances as well as Beauty Bank and Idea Bank, reporting to CEO Fabrizio Freda.

During her tenure, Ms. Gabai-Pinsky developed and ensured the growth of several beauty and skin care brands, including Lab Series for Men.

She was responsible for the evolution of the fragrance category for the company, as she improved its overall business model, improving profitability by 10 points over 4 years, grew globally brands such as Donna Karan and Michael Kors, redesigned her organization to embrace digital transformation, evolved and harmonized the portfolio, divesting dilutive brands and bringing in Tory Burch, Zegna and Marni under license, and ultimately ensured the acquisitions of Le Labo, Frederic Malle, and By Kilian for deep transformation of the long term strategic path of the company.

Previously, Ms. Gabai-Pinsky was Executive Vice President and General Manager for Fine Fragrance, North America, for Symrise and its predecessor, Dragoco. In that capacity, Ms. Gabai-Pinsky opened the New York Office of Dragoco to develop its US business as well as to position the firm in the fine fragrance category as a creative and alternative industry resource. She was also instrumental in managing the US merger of the fine fragrance teams with Haarman and Reimer, giving birth to Symrise.

In the earlier years of her career, Ms. Gabai-Pinsky served as Vice President of Marketing and Communication for Guerlain, a division of LVMH, where she led the successful re-launch of Shalimar, the introduction of Aqua Allegoria, and contributed to the re-focus of the beauty category around its pillars, Terracotta, Meteorites and Issima, while redesigning all communication strategies and content.

Prior to this, Ms. Gabai-Pinsky spent time as the Worldwide Director of Strategic Planning for SELECT Communications, handling clients in the beauty and fashion sectors such as Coty, Jill Sander, Vanity Fair and more.

She started her career at L’Oréal, and was lastly Vice President of Marketing for Giorgio Armani, where she was instrumental in the overall development of its fragrance business by developing the highly successful Aqua di Gio for men and introducing the Emporio Armani franchise.

Ms. Gabai-Pinsky graduated from ESSEC Business School in Paris, France. In addition to speaking French and English, she is also well versed in Spanish and Italian.
She is a member of The Committee of 200, Fashion Group International and Cosmetic Executive Women.

Since 2013, she serves as a trustee on the Board of the Lycée Français de New York. She also volunteered as a “Principal for a Day” for the PENCIL organization, helping public schools in New York City.