Emily Weiss Is Stepping Down as Glossier’s Chief Executive Officer

Emily Weiss, Glossier’s founder, is stepping down immediately as the brand’s CEO. Kyle Leahy will take over the role as chief commercial officer of the company, while Weiss will continue to serve as executive chairwoman.

Weiss announced the decision in a lengthy letter to the “Glossier Community,” which you can read in full here. She wrote the following in her announcement:

I’ve had the privilege of not just being Glossier’s founder since 2014, but also its CEO…I’ve always thought of these titles as unique from one another: A founder is a forever identity, one that starts with a kernel of an idea and never ends. I will always be Glossier’s founder. But a CEO is the leader that a company looks towards, to guide it into tomorrow. My observation is that the best companies understand this distinction and ensure that the CEO seat is filled with the right person to lead it to its brightest future chapter. 

Every year I reflect on Glossier, and specifically, the ever-evolving role of the CEO in our young company’s life cycle. I check in and ask myself the same question: Am I the best person to lead the company, for where we are and where we’re headed? And if not, who? This year, as has often been the case with some of our proudest and most pivotal moments at Glossier, a person inspired a new direction: Her name is Kyle Leahy, and I’m thrilled to announce that she’s stepping up into the CEO role.

Weiss praised Leahy’s work at American Express brands Cole Haan and Nike and said that she and Weiss would continue to be involved in major projects like the New York flagship store expected to open in SoHo next spring.

Emily Weiss also posted a photo of herself and Leahy on her Instagram.