PARIS – Laurent Kleitman has been named group chief executive off Mandarin Oriental International Ltd., effective Sept. 1.
Until March, Kleitman had as president and chief executive officer at Parfums Christian Dior.
At Mandarin Oriental International, the executive succeeds James Riley, who had held that position at the hotel chain since 2016.
Kleitman began at Parfums Christian Dior in November 2019, after decades working in the beauty industry. Dior has been the jewel in the crown of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s perfumes and cosmetics division, which generated sales of 7.72 billion euros in 2022.
Under Kleitman’s leadership, Dior’s business grew ,the brand laid out its sustainable development path and named a new perfumer, among other milestones.
Prior to Dior, starting in 2017, Kleitnman worked at Coty Inc., as president of the company’s consumer beauty division, based in New York. Between 2015 and 2017, he was executive vice president of global hair care at Unilever.
Kleitman also had the position of CEO of Unilever in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Before that, he spent three years heading LVMH in Russia, including the perfumes and cosmetics business, where he jump-started growth after the 2008 financial crisis. The executive began his career at Unilever in marketing.
“With Laurent’s leadership, we will continue to grow our global portfolio of luxury hotels, resorts and residences,” Ben Kenswick, chairman of Mandarin Oriental International, said in a statement. “Building on Mandarin Oriental’s renowned legendary service, he will further evolve our brand for our guests – delivering 21st-century luxury hospitality and lifestyle experiences steeped in a rich and proud Asian heritage.”
Kleitman is the latest beauty executive to move into a top hospitality role. Stéphane Rinderknech joined LVMH from L’Oréal in 2022 to head up LVMH’s Hospitality Excellence division, which includes Hôtels Cheval Blanc and Belmond Hotels and trains. The executive most recently, in early March, was appointed chairman and CEO of LVMH Perfumes and Cosmetics division, alongside that role,