For more than fifteen years, international brands, start-ups, scale-ups, manufacturers, distributors and retailers have brought us situations that are never quite the same. Some are completed assignments; others are recently examined situations and remain anonymised. Each one reveals the real decision concealed behind the initial question.
01
Business-model transformation · Recently examined
Recent situation — anonymised
Initial question
Decide the future of a brand in a mature, loss-making market?
The real decision
Consolidate a long-standing recommendation-led model or build sell-out, brand and demand-generation capabilities?
Our intervention
Strategic and economic assessment, trajectory options, required capabilities and a profitable roadmap.
02
International acceleration · Recently examined
Recent situation — anonymised
Initial question
Internationalise a digital DTC model by integrating traditional distribution channels without losing the fundamentals behind the brand’s success?
The real decision
Which markets, channels and partners should be opened — and in what order — so that digital, Travel Retail and local distribution reinforce rather than constrain one another?
Our intervention
International growth model, market and channel sequencing, pricing and margin discipline, partner proposition and CEO support.
03
Regional leadership · European redeployment
Jurlique Europe
Initial question
How can a cosmetics brand lighten its European subsidiary while protecting existing markets, increasing awareness and accelerating geographic expansion across EMEAI?
The real decision
Run a lean, multicultural and distributed European organisation, build visibility and desirability, increase community engagement and activate new channels, partners, distributors and retailers?
Our intervention
Five years as Head of Europe, leading a multilingual team, activating distribution and retail networks, developing EMEAI and acting as the strategic interface with international management.
04
Start-up · Building and scaling
Ouate
Initial question
How can a pioneering idea — the first skincare range for children aged 4 to 11 — become a credible, fundable and distributable business?
The real decision
Which business-model, funding, management and commercial foundations must be built before accelerating, and when should responsibilities be transferred to internal teams?
Our intervention
Business plan, fundraising support, management tools, France and International Sales leadership, followed by mentoring of sales and marketing teams and participation in the strategic committee.
05
General management · Transformation and handover
Gisèle Delorme
Initial question
How can a forty-year-old brand regain direction following a change of ownership?
The real decision
Which strategic and operational choices must be made immediately, what management team is required and how should the transition to permanent leadership be prepared?
Our intervention
General Manager role, strategy redefinition, business transformation, recruitment and coaching of the management team, then organisation of the leadership handover.
06
US brand · International acceleration
Radical Skincare
Initial question
How can a young Californian prestige skincare brand accelerate internationally without fragmenting its model or weakening desirability?
The real decision
Which markets should open, in what order, with which partners and with what coordination across sales, marketing, pricing, operations and brand experience?
Our intervention
Leadership of sales, marketing and business development; coordination of PR, store design, forecasting, pricing, logistics, product development and regulatory. Ten markets opened and annual sales of $3m reached within eighteen months.
07
Market relaunch · United Kingdom
Filorga
Initial question
How can a French skincare brand successfully relaunch in the UK while preserving its positioning and rapidly building local credibility?
The real decision
Which retailers, teams and awareness drivers can turn a market reopening into genuine sell-out momentum?
Our intervention
Retailer introductions, launch at Marks & Spencer with a rapid Top 2 skincare ranking, selection of local sales, marketing and PR teams, followed by the global Travel Retail strategy.
08
Market re-entry · Middle East
Shiseido
Initial question
What alternative to a representative office could build a Middle East presence, control marketing and commercial execution and secure the next stage of development for an international cosmetics brand?
The real decision
How should existing resources be managed to strengthen local presence: in what form, with which responsibilities, capabilities, means and level of control?
Our intervention
Full review of existing resources, analysis of re-entry options and detailed recommendations for the creation of a local subsidiary.
09
Diversification · Transfer of cosmetics expertise
Modilac
Initial question
How can a recognised infant-nutrition player credibly enter the baby-skincare market?
The real decision
What legitimacy can bridge nutrition and cosmetics, what value proposition should be carried, and how far can category codes be adapted without diluting the parent brand?
Our intervention
Eighteen-month project leadership, brand repositioning, legitimacy story, value proposition, range development and launch preparation.
10
Retail · CustomerFirst™
Alice Délice
Initial question
How can a cookware retailer evolve its model as home cooking grows and customer behaviours change?
The real decision
How can it move from a product-centred logic to a brand and community experience by adapting the consumer-centric disciplines of cosmetics to culinary retail?
Our intervention
Board Advisory role, challenging the Executive Committee on marketing, promotion, omnichannel customer experience and community activation on social media.
11
Digital scale-up · Structuring
Cellublue
Initial question
How can strong influencer and social-media capabilities be turned into a more structured and sustainable growth model?
The real decision
What strategic trajectory should be formalised, which sales capabilities added and how should the organisation evolve without slowing entrepreneurial momentum?
Our intervention
Coaching of the CEO and Head of Marketing to define and implement the strategic plan, followed by recruitment and coaching of a new Head of Sales.
12
European distribution · Relaunch
Herborist Europe
Initial question
How can a Chinese skincare brand relaunch European sales and reassess the relevance of its distribution model?
The real decision
Should the existing model be optimised or should the trajectory, partners and touchpoints change to rebuild visibility, desirability and sell-out?
Our intervention
Distribution diagnostic, alternative strategy, coaching of the European team, introductions to key retailers and relaunch across department stores, boutiques, perfumeries and e-commerce.
13
Niche fragrance · Launch
Art Meets Art
Initial question
How can a new niche fragrance brand prepare for launch with an international ambition?
The real decision
How should brand identity, positioning, selective distribution and international expansion be articulated before the offer and investments are fixed?
Our intervention
Eighteen months supporting the CEO and leadership team, with specific work on distribution, international expansion, brand attributes and positioning.
14
Innovation · International development
True North Cosmetics
Initial question
How can a Danish skincare brand accelerate global sales and create a differentiated advisory experience?
The real decision
How can cosmetics expertise, technology and personalised prescription strengthen the value proposition and support global distribution?
Our intervention
International development support and the design, launch and operation of MySkinCoach, the first mobile application to provide science-based skin evaluation and prescription from a selfie.
15
Interim leadership · Organisation
Beauté Prestige International
Initial question
How can commercial and marketing continuity be protected through a series of organisational changes?
The real decision
Which responsibilities must be temporarily assumed, which capabilities recruited and how can regional performance and strategic launches both be secured?
Our intervention
Interim leadership of the Middle East region, recruitment of a Dubai-based Area Manager, direction of Export Trade Marketing and contribution to the development and launch of La Collection by Elie Saab.
16
Fragrance retail · Turnaround
Bassem Al Qassem
Initial question
How can the international expansion of a Riyadh fragrance retailer be prepared when its model must first be repositioned and restored?
The real decision
What brand promise, distribution model and organisation must be built before global expansion begins?
Our intervention
COO role, brand repositioning, international distribution strategy, reorganisation of Sales, Marketing, Finance and Supply Chain, business turnaround and preparation for expansion.
17
Distributor · Transformation into retail
Beauté Pakistan International
Initial question
How can a major cosmetics distributor evolve towards retail and convince international brands to entrust it with their development in Pakistan?
The real decision
Which financial, commercial and marketing capabilities must be demonstrated to move from intermediary to credible retail partner?
Our intervention
Business case, coaching of Finance, Sales and Marketing teams, partner propositions and support in securing brands from Estée Lauder Companies, L’Oréal Luxe and L’Occitane.
18
B2B · Transfer of premium codes
Depack
Initial question
How can a commercial-space specialist established in wine, spirits and fashion win cosmetics clients?
The real decision
How should the message, proof points and value proposition be adapted to cosmetics brands without abandoning existing expertise?
Our intervention
Fifteen months coaching the CEO and teams to decode sector expectations, adapt the commercial message and develop new cosmetics clients.
19
Skincare technology · Building an export function
Softmesology
Initial question
How can the international expansion of an innovative high-tech skincare offer be structured without an existing export organisation?
The real decision
Which commercial tools, partners, distributors and professional channels are required to make the offer understandable, credible and internationally deployable?
Our intervention
Creation and leadership of the Export function, sales presentation tools, distributor selection and development of partner spas and institutes internationally.
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