Düsseldorf, Germany: Douglas Group, Europe’s leading premium beauty retailer, has appointed Jean-Marc Bellaiche as its new Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1 November 2026, for a term of four years. He succeeds Sander van der Laan, who has chosen to retire following a 36-year career in international retail, including four years at the helm of the Düsseldorf-based group.
Bellaiche, 56, brings an unusually broad executive background spanning luxury, technology and hospitality. He began his career at Boston Consulting Group in 1993, rising to Managing Director and Global Leader of the Luxury, Fashion and Beauty sector. In 2014 he joined Tiffany & Co. as Senior Vice President and member of the Executive Committee, before moving into senior leadership roles at technology companies Contentsquare and Arianee. He returned to Europe in 2020 as CEO of Printemps Group, where he strengthened the iconic French department store’s customer-centricity, exclusivity and omnichannel reach, before most recently serving as CEO of luxury resort operator Sani/Ikos Group.
For retail real estate investors and landlords, the leadership change at Douglas Group carries direct implications worth monitoring. The group operates approximately 1,970 stores across 22 European countries and generated sales of €4.58bn in the financial year 2024/2025, making it one of the largest occupiers of premium high-street and shopping-centre retail space on the continent. With a new CEO arriving with a clear record of accelerating international and omnichannel expansion, the shape and scale of that physical footprint could evolve materially in the coming years. Developers and asset managers holding beauty or personal care retail exposure across European schemes should pay close attention to the strategic direction Bellaiche sets in his first months.
“This important change in the leadership at the top of the company has been prepared very thoughtfully and carefully, ensuring a smooth and professional transition. We truly regret Sander van der Laan’s decision to retire, while fully respecting his choice after a long and successful career. With his departure, the DOUGLAS Group loses an outstanding leader and highly experienced retail executive who has played a pivotal role in the successful development of the Group. At the same time, we are very pleased to have appointed Jean-Marc Bellaiche, a highly experienced executive in international retail and luxury, with a strong track record across beauty, premium department stores, digital transformation, brand building and strategy. We are convinced that he will build on the progress already made and put even more focus on customer-centricity, beauty brand partnerships and operational excellence.”
Dr. Henning Kreke, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Douglas AG
“I would like to thank the Supervisory Board of the Douglas AG for the confidence it has placed in me. I am particularly excited to join the Group at such an important moment in the evolution of the beauty industry. The DOUGLAS Group plays a leading role in the European premium beauty market and has a manifold of unique assets, including an outstanding omnichannel footprint, a large base of loyal customers, and an attractive assortment based on close relationships with beauty brands. I look forward to building on these strengths together with the management team and all my colleagues across 22 European countries, while driving the innovations and changes needed to succeed in a rapidly changing market environment.”
Jean-Marc Bellaiche, incoming CEO, Douglas Group
“I am incredibly grateful for my time at the DOUGLAS Group. I have met many inspiring people, learned a great deal about premium beauty, and, together with around 20,000 colleagues, we have made significant progress. The decision to step down was not an easy one for me. But after a 36-year career, including senior leadership roles at highly respected retail companies in Europe and the United States, I feel that the time is right to retire from executive management. This is the right moment to hand over the reins to someone who can bring fresh thinking and new ideas.”
Sander van der Laan, outgoing CEO, Douglas Group
Van der Laan joined Douglas Group in October 2022 and oversaw the group’s transition into a true omnichannel business, introducing a new category and exclusive-brands strategy, overhauling store-format and network strategy, reorganising the supply chain, and leading the company’s stock exchange listing in 2024. He also implemented a comprehensive ESG strategy and introduced the group’s purpose, ‘Make life more beautiful’. Bellaiche will work alongside CFO Marco Giorgetta and the wider management team as Douglas Group, listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, enters its next phase of development.
Get the latest commercial real estate news, investment insights, and property trends from Europe Real Estate, trusted by professionals since 1999.
Sign up for free weekly updates. Join here
People mentioned
- Jean-Marc Bellaiche, incoming CEO (from 1 November 2026), Douglas Group
- Sander van der Laan, outgoing CEO, Douglas Group
- Dr. Henning Kreke, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Douglas AG
- Marco Giorgetta, CFO, Douglas Group
Image Source: Douglas Group - Jean-Mark Bellaiche
Companies and organisations mentioned
- Douglas Group, Europe’s leading premium beauty retailer operating approximately 1,970 stores across 22 countries; parent company of DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, Parfumdreams and Niche Beauty; listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange
- Douglas AG, listed holding entity of the Douglas Group, Frankfurt Stock Exchange
- Tiffany & Co., global luxury jewellery brand; former employer of Jean-Marc Bellaiche
- Boston Consulting Group, global management consultancy; where Jean-Marc Bellaiche began his career
- Contentsquare, digital experience analytics company; former employer of Jean-Marc Bellaiche
- Arianee, digital product passport technology company; former employer of Jean-Marc Bellaiche
- Printemps Group, iconic French premium department store group; where Jean-Marc Bellaiche served as CEO
- Sani/Ikos Group, luxury resort operator; where Jean-Marc Bellaiche most recently served as CEO
