London, United Kingdom, July 2026 — L’Oréal UKI has announced the return of Gemma Cotter-Stone from maternity leave as Head of HR for the CDMO & CGO teams. In her new leadership role, she will oversee the people strategy for key business functions, supporting talent development, organizational effectiveness, leadership capability, and workforce planning across the Commercial, Digital, Marketing, and Growth Office teams.
Gemma brings over 15 years of human resources experience across the consumer goods, professional services, and hospitality sectors. Having spent more than seven years with L’Oréal, she has built a strong track record of leading HR transformation, talent management, business partnering, and organizational development initiatives that support business growth and employee engagement.
Before assuming her current position, Gemma served as Head of HR – Europe for Aesop, where she led the people strategy for the luxury skincare brand across the European region. Earlier, she held several progressively senior HR leadership roles within L’Oréal UKI, including Senior Talent Acquisition Manager & Talent Management Lead, Senior HR Business Partner – Active Cosmetics Division, and HR Business Partner – Corporate Functions. Throughout these roles, she played a pivotal role in strengthening talent acquisition, succession planning, leadership development, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and strategic workforce planning.
Prior to joining L’Oréal, Gemma spent nearly three years at KPMG UK, serving as Talent Manager and HR Business Partner – Deal Advisory, where she partnered with senior business leaders on talent strategy, employee development, and organizational effectiveness. Earlier in her career, she spent almost six years with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), progressing through HR leadership positions supporting global corporate functions, employee engagement, talent management, and performance development, establishing a strong foundation in strategic human resources.
In her new role as Head of HR for CDMO & CGO teams, Gemma will focus on advancing L’Oréal UK’s people agenda by fostering high-performing teams, strengthening leadership capability, and enabling organizational agility as the company continues to innovate and grow across its diverse portfolio of global beauty brands.
About L’Oréal
L’Oréal is the world’s leading beauty company, operating across 150 countries with a workforce of approximately 90,000 employees. With a portfolio of 37 international brands, the company spans four major divisions: Luxe, Consumer Products, Dermatological Beauty, and Professional Products, serving consumers through some of the world’s most recognized beauty and skincare brands.
For more than a century, L’Oréal has been dedicated exclusively to beauty, combining scientific innovation, sustainability, and consumer insights to create products that meet the diverse needs of people around the world. Recognized as one of Europe’s most innovative companies, L’Oréal continues to shape the future of beauty through technology, responsible business practices, and a strong commitment to talent and inclusion.
Read Also : When HR “Produces Nothing”: A Response to Jennifer Sey’s Anti-HR Vision
The Fine Balance: Navigating Work, Life, and Mental Wellbeing
Mind the Leadership Gap – From Learning to Real-World Impact
How the Adecco Group is empowering its employees for the future of work
