Helen of Troy taps Scott Uzzell as CEO

Helen of Troy Limited’s Board of Directors has appointed Scott Uzzell, a seasoned executive with leadership experience at Nike, Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and Nabisco, as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer.

The move comes as the El Paso-based consumer products company faces declining sales, a sharp drop in its stock price, and a shrinking workforce.

The appointment follows the board’s decision in May to replace Noel Geoffroy, the company’s first woman CEO, after only one year in the role. Uzzell, 59, becomes Helen of Troy’s first Black CEO, marking a significant milestone in the company’s history.

Board Chairman Timothy Meeker described Uzzell as “a strategic leader with a strong track record of building and growing consumer brands”, noting his “great sensitivity to the needs, wants, and expectations of consumers” and his ability to “grasp the spirit of the times.

Uzzell brings nearly three decades of experience across major global brands. At Nike, he spent almost six years as General Manager for North America and as CEO of the Converse brand.

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Before that, during a decade at Coca-Cola, he served as President of the Venturing and Emerging Brands Group, where he oversaw the growth of brands such as Honest Tea, Body Armor, and FairLife Milk. His earlier career included roles in sales and marketing at Procter & Gamble and Nabisco. He holds a business degree from Florida A&M University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Helen of Troy, which had 1,863 employees worldwide at the end of February, has seen its El Paso workforce reduced from about 400 employees in early 2022 to around 170 today, according to a source close to the company. Staff in El Paso are currently working remotely while awaiting the completion of new downtown offices, following the sale of the company’s longtime headquarters in West El Paso in October 2023.