Kecia Steelman

Kecia Steelman had a turnaround to pull off when she was promoted from Ulta Beauty's president and COO to president and CEO in January 2025, taking over the largest U.S. beauty retailer after more than a decade at the company. Her first year was focused on reestablishing the brand in the zeitgeist and recapturing market share. She made progress: 2025 sales rose 9.7% to $12.4 billion, and the company acquired the beauty retailer Space NK, while expanding to Mexico and the Middle East. Steelman also wound down a partnership with Target to focus on profitability and the core business.