Coty Inc. (NYSE: COTY, PARIS: COTY) has appointed Soraya Benchikh as Chief Financial Officer, effective September 1, 2026. Benchikh succeeds Laurent Mercier, who served in the role for five years. The appointment aligns with the company’s new operating structure implemented on July 2, which decentralized commercial decision-making and consolidated research and development with supply chain functions.

Markus Strobel, Executive Chairman and Interim Chief Executive Officer, highlighted Benchikh’s global financial and operational leadership track record. He noted that Mercier strengthened Coty’s financial foundation, built greater financial discipline, and created a clear financial roadmap during his tenure.

Benchikh joins Coty from British American Tobacco (BAT), where she served as Chief Financial Officer. Her previous roles at BAT included President of BAT France, Area Director for East and Southern Africa, and Regional Finance Director for Europe. Prior to her time at BAT, she spent nearly four years at Diageo, most recently serving as President, Europe. She began her career in finance with General Electric and Gillette.

Strategic Focus

Benchikh will join Coty’s Executive Committee and report directly to Markus Strobel. In her statement, she emphasized joining at a pivotal moment in Coty’s transformation. Her stated priorities include strengthening the balance sheet, sharpening capital allocation, and driving sustained value creation alongside the existing leadership team.

About Coty Inc.

Coty is a global leader in beauty, spanning fragrance, color cosmetics, and skin and body care. Founded in Paris in 1904, the company sells prestige and mass-market products in more than 120 countries.

Kuehn Law, PLLC is investigating potential breaches of fiduciary duty by certain officers and directors of Coty, Inc. (NYSE: COTY). The shareholder litigation firm alleges that the company misrepresented its financial health, specifically regarding slowing growth in the beauty market and underperformance in key segments.

According to a federal securities lawsuit, Coty allegedly concealed the true state of its business. The complaint highlights concerns about the Consumer Beauty segment's underperformance, margin compression driven by increased marketing investments, and decelerating growth in the Prestige fragrance segment.

What the Numbers Show

The lawsuit centers on alleged discrepancies between disclosed performance and underlying operational realities. The core allegation suggests that reported metrics may have obscured structural weaknesses in high-margin segments like Prestige fragrances, while increased marketing spend in Consumer Beauty pressured profitability. This divergence between stated growth narratives and segment-specific margin pressures forms the basis of the fiduciary duty claim.

Investor Action Required

Shareholders who currently own COTY stock and purchased shares prior to November 5, 2025 are encouraged to participate in the investigation. Kuehn Law states that it pays all case costs and does not charge investor clients. The firm emphasizes that there may be limited time to enforce shareholder rights.

Interested parties can contact Sophia Anne Silayan via email at sophiaanne@kuehn.law or by calling (833) 672-0814. Justin Kuehn, Esq., can also be reached at justin@kuehn.law .

Contact Details

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