Erin Riggs

Erin Riggs is general manager of U.S. Consumer Care for Kao USA, where she leads brand, category strategy and commercial operations across the U.S. market. A proud Hoosier, her foundation in retail began at age seven in her grandfather’s general store, Henderson’s, in Cambridge City, Ind. — where she learned the power of friendly service, thoughtful assortment and counting the till at the end of the day.

Those early lessons in accountability and customer focus shaped a career spanning more than two decades in consumer packaged goods. Today, Riggs is known for building high-performing, cross-functional teams that deliver disciplined, profitable share growth while strengthening strategic retailer partnerships.

She leads with a commitment to Kao’s Kirei philosophy and a Kaizen mindset — balancing intentional beauty care with continuous improvement in product innovation, ways of working, and collaboration. Her leadership approach is grounded in her belief that CPG is a team sport and that meaningful progress requires both clarity and courage. Her signature mindset, “Cheers to Change,” reflects her philosophy of leaning into change practically and fearlessly — creating momentum through clear expectations, the right tools, and ways of working that enable teams to move with confidence.

Riggs is passionate about developing future leaders, strengthening partnerships and translating insights into meaningful business impact — always with a sense of humor, grace and shared ­accountability.