CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. — Markwins International Corp. announced on Tuesday the appointment of Bill George as president and chief operating officer for all of its beauty brands.

Bill George

George, who has been leading Markwins’ growth in the beauty industry for the past seven years, now adds Physicians Formula to his portfolio, following the resignation of Jeff Rogers as president of Physicians Formula. Rogers resigned to spend more time with his family, the company said.

George has been overseeing the company’s wet n wild, Black Radiance, Bonne Bell and Lip Smacker brands.

He began his career with Markwins 17 years ago. His rise through the ranks has been fueled by his passion and ability to seize growth opportunities, Markwins said in a statement. The company noted that George has played a major role in a number of recent brand acquisitions, including Physicians Formula and Bonne Bell/Lip Smacker.

Markwins characterized George’s appointment as the first step in a new organizational structure built on three strategic pillars:

• Consumer-centric category management: Markwins plans to consolidate its branded portfolio to have dedicated customer service-centric sales, marketing and analytic support teams across all global regions.
• Greater investment in product innovation: Enhancements to research and development centers in Los Angeles and Shenzhen, China, will bring in new talent and resources, including the opening a new satellite facility in Shanghai.
• Accelerate brand evolution: The latest trends and beauty products will be delivered to customers at accessible price points.

The new structure should allow Markwins Beauty Brands to accelerate its sales by focusing its sales teams on key retailers and brand-specific marketing plans, allowing the company to enjoy the best of shared services while investing in initiatives to improve customer engagement and product innovation, the company commented. Additionally, the simplified and streamlined management structure will create a more thoughtful hierarchy and succession plan.

“Markwins Beauty Brands has experienced exceptional growth, especially in the past two years, and our aim is to increase investments that propel future opportunities across all international trading regions,” remarked chairman and chief executive officer Eric Chen. “In our rich 32 year history, I believe the next three to five years will be the most dynamic for our company.”