Coty names Soraya Benchikh as Chief Financial Officer
Benchikh brings more than 20 years of international finance and general management experience across major consumer goods companies.
USA – Global beauty giant Coty Inc. has appointed Soraya Benchikh as its new Chief Financial Officer, with the appointment taking effect on September 1, 2026.
Benchikh succeeds Laurent Mercier, who is stepping down after five years in the role, during which he strengthened Coty’s financial discipline and organizational structure.
The move comes shortly after Coty implemented a revised operating structure on July 2, 2026, designed to bring commercial decision-making closer to its key markets and integrate research and development with supply chain under a single function.
The changes included giving interim CEO Markus Strobel direct control over Prestige’s commercial operations, consolidating Prestige’s R&D, sustainability, and supply chain under a single function, and announcing several leadership transitions.
Markus Strobel, Executive Chairman and Interim CEO, described Benchikh, stating, “Soraya is a seasoned global executive with a strong track record of financial and operational leadership, and she is the right leader for Coty’s next phase.”
“As we welcome her to Coty, I would like to sincerely thank Laurent for his leadership in strengthening Coty’s financial foundation over the past five years. He shaped a better finance organization, built greater financial discipline, and created a clear financial roadmap.”
Most recently, Benchikh served as CFO of British American Tobacco (BAT), where she held several senior roles including President of BAT France, Area Director for East and Southern Africa, and Regional Finance Director for Europe.
Prior to BAT, she spent nearly four years at Diageo, most recently as President, Europe, and began her career in finance at General Electric and Gillette. At Coty, she will join the Executive Committee and report directly to Strobel.
In her statement, Benchikh said Coty has “one of the strongest portfolios in global beauty” and that she is joining at a “pivotal moment” in the company’s transformation.
She outlined her priorities as strengthening the balance sheet, sharpening capital allocation, and helping drive the next phase of sustained value creation alongside Strobel and the leadership team.
Founded in Paris in 1904, Coty is a global leader in beauty with a portfolio spanning fragrance, color cosmetics, and skin and body care.
The company sells prestige and mass-market products in more than 120 countries and continues to advance sustainability through its Beauty That Lasts progra
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