Ulta Beauty names COO Kecia Steelman president

American retailer Ulta Beauty has announced the appointment of its chief operating officer Kecia Steelman to president, assigning her the responsibility of both roles simultaneously.

In the two positions, Steelman will oversee corporate strategy, information technology, store operations, supply chain and loss prevention, as well as Ulta Beauty’s Target partnership, among other things.

In a release, Dave Kimbell, Ulta’s chief executive officer and the individual Steelman will report to, credited her with “driving operational excellence” alongside fostering “a caring and inclusive culture”.

Kimbell added: “Over the last year, Kecia has increased her scope and influence within our organisation, and this expanded role recognises her value to the company and her many contributions to our success, while also demonstrating our ongoing confidence in her leadership to help us drive profitable growth for the company over the coming years.”

Steelman joined Ulta in 2014 as senior vice president, store operations, and was named chief operating officer in June 2021 after a stint as chief store operations officer.

Prior to Ulta, Steelman held a number of leadership positions at the likes of Family Dollar Stores, Expo Design Centre, Home Depot Design Centre and YardBirds, namely serving in president, general manager or vice president roles.

She had also held a variety of retail operations and merchandising roles at Target Corporation from 1993 to 2005.