Top Neutrogena Executive Leela Grammenidou Petrakis at ACT

Top cosmetics industry executive Leela Grammenidou Petrakis - an Anatolia (’81) and ACT  (’87) alumna, returned to her alma mater November 8, to speak about “Driving Growth and New Product Development in a Crowded Marketplace: From Idea to Launch.”  Ms. Petrakis is General Manager of Neutrogena Cosmetics U.S., a division of Johnson & Johnson Beauty Care, and directly oversees all aspects of the brand’s sales and marketing in North America.

Ms. Petrakis spoke eloquently and demonstrated an in depth knowledge of the fiercely competitive cosmetics industry as well as marketing and new product development in front of an overflow audience at ACT’s Niarchos Technology Center.   She set the stage for her talk by saying that women were “crazy about beauty” and made reference to “a product 97% of women take with them when they leave home: a lip-care product”. 

Petrakis went on to survey the American beauty business and Neutrogena’s position in it as the number one brand recommended by dermatologists, summed up in the Neutrogena slogan: “Beautiful. Beneficial.”

Taking Mineral Sheers as an example - a foundation make-up with a base of finely ground, very pure minerals - she outlined the stages of the product cycle, from the crucible of innovation to the various phases of placing and supporting the product in the marketplace.  She stressed the importance of cross-functional partnerships within the extended team responsible for the product, from testing to manufacturing to packaging, advertising, and tracking.  She also showed how Neutrogena had successfully launched a “viral” internet marketing campaign for the blush version of Mineral Sheers, with user-generated content built around “blushing moments.”

Leela Grammenidou Petrakis graduated Anatolia Collge (’81) and attended ACT in the mid-80s (when it was a two-year college), receiving her B.S. degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute before going on to obtain her Master degree in Marketing and International Business at NYU’s Stern School of Business.  She got her start in cosmetics by managing a Body Shop franchise in Greece and also distributed European fragrances and toiletries to beauty boutiques and department stores. Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, Petrakis held positions of increasing responsibility at major cosmetics companies such as Clairol, Avon, Revlon, L’Oreal and Maybelline.  She knows the 64 billion dollar beauty industry inside-out.