Kao to Integrate North American, European Beauty Brand Management

Kao Corporation announced the integration of the management of a range of beauty care product businesses across North America and Europe as of January 2012 by a broad-based approach to unification of management structures in each country. This integration aims to accelerate global growth of the Kao Group by better leveraging the combined resources of beauty care divisions across the group.

Previously, key beauty care subsidiaries such as premium mass products manufacturer Kao Brands Company (Cincinnati, USA), professional hair care products leader KPSSS (Kao Professional Salon Services GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany), prestige brand products manufacturer and retailer Molton Brown Limited (London, UK) and the manufacturers of the Sensai prestige cosmetic brand, Kanebo Cosmetics Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) all operated as separate independent businesses in North American and European markets.

Going forward, these business divisions will come together through the introduction of a new management structure, a strong country-by-country focus, and through standardization of work practices and integration of information technology systems. These initiatives will allow Kao to accelerate matrix management across business units and functions.

Starting in 2012, the businesses Kao Brands Canada Inc. and KPSS Canada Inc. will become Kao Canada Inc.; Kao Brands Company, KPSS Inc. and KMS Global Marketing LLC will become Kao USA Inc.; Kanebo Cosmetics USA Inc. will become Kanebo Cosmetics USA LLC; Molton Brown USA Inc., Molton Brown Holdings (USA) Inc., Molton Brown Inc., Molton Brown 3rd Avenue LLC, and Molton Brown Madison Avenue LLC will become Molton Brown USA Inc.; KPSS Osterreich Handelsgesellschaft mbH will become Kao Austria Handelsgesellschaft mgH; N.V. KPSS Belgium S.A. will become N.V. Kao Belgium S.A.; KPSS Danmark A/S will become Kao Denmark A/S; Kao Brands Europe SARL and KPSS S.A.R.L. will become Kao France SARL; KPSS–Kao Professional Salon Services GmbH, KPSS Deutschland GmbH and Molton Brown GmbH will become Kao Germany GmbH; KPSS Italia S.p.A. will become Kao Italy S.p.A.; KPSS Nederland B.V. will become Kao Netherlands B.V.; KPSS South Africa Pty. Ltd. will become Kao South Africa Pty. Ltd.; Kao Brands Europe, S.L. will become Kao Spain, S.L.; KPSS AG will become Kao Switzerland AG; Kao Brands Europe Limited will become Kao (UK) Limited; Kao (Australia) Marketing Pty. Limited, KPSS Australia Pty. Limited and Molton Brown Australia Pty. Limited will become Kao Australia Pty. Limited; KPSS New Zealand Limited will become Kao New Zealand Limited; and Kao Singapore Pte. Ltd. and KPSS Pte. Ltd. will become Kao Singapore Pte. Ltd. All companies will remain subsidiaries of Kao Corporation.

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