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BOLINGBROOK, Ill. — Ulta Beauty, the nation’s largest specialty beauty retailer, in January appointed company veteran Kecia Steelman to succeed Dave Kimbell as president and chief executive officer.
“Kecia is a strategic leader with a proven record of driving operational excellence and creating exceptional guest experiences while fostering a caring and inclusive culture,” Kimbell said in a statement announcing the CEO transition. “I have every confidence she will expand Ulta Beauty’s leadership in beauty and wellness.”
Steelman joined Ulta Beauty in 2014 following stints at Family Dollar, Home Depot and Target. She was promoted to chief operating officer in 2023 and led a shops-in-shop partnership that gave Ulta Beauty a presence inside 500 Target stores and that was credited with introducing Ulta Beauty to a broader swath of shoppers, compelling many of them to trade up to prestige products, and introducing Target to trendy brands such as Fenty Beauty and The Ordinary. Ulta Beauty said its loyalty members with connected Target accounts spend twice as much as the average rewards seeker spends.
Steelman has consistently driven exceptional execution during her 10 years with Ulta Beauty while fostering strong external partnerships and a collaborative culture, the company said. Her track record of success spans her entire tenure with the company and is rooted in her deep expertise across retail operations and services, real estate, corporate strategy and business transformation.
Steelman’s move to the corner office came as consumers were responding to rising prices by limiting purchases of discretionary items and as Ulta Beauty was fighting to maintain its spot as a top beauty retailer by introducing new brands, hosting more in-store events and releasing new digital tools.
