NEW YORK — Revlon Inc.’s board appointed chief operating officer and board member Debra Perelman as president and chief executive officer, effective immediately.

She becomes the company’s first female CEO.

During her career working for Revlon, the company said Perelman has served in operational and leadership roles, including finance, distribution and sales operations, international and marketing. As both an executive and a board member, as well as a member of the senior leadership team at MacAndrews & Forbes Inc., she has been overseeing corporate strategy and leading Revlon’s ongoing digital transformation, including forming a data and analytics group and establishing infrastructure and deploying resources necessary to create a leading-edge e-commerce business. Perelman has launched a new partnership with the MIT Media Lab to explore new ways to disrupt the industry.

“Revlon has been a central part of my personal and professional life for more than 20 years. I love Revlon not only as a company, but as a culture of employees and executives who are committed to delivering women and men the best products in our industry. Beauty has emerged as one of today’s most dynamic and fastest-growing industries, and I look forward to working with Revlon’s world-class team to amplify our strategy and accelerate growth. I am committed to driving the company to compete and thrive in today’s dynamic environment and encouraging our talented team’s entrepreneurial spirit, agility and bold creativity,” said  Perelman.

In her role as president and CEO, Perelman will be focused on enhancing Revlon’s consumer and customer focused approach. She will be responsible for driving Revlon’s efforts to further innovate through technology, enhance its iconic brand portfolio and invest in e-commerce as a growth driver. 

Commenting on the appointment, Ronald Perelman, chairman of the Revlon board of directors said, “Revlon is a brand of firsts — the first to match lips and finger tips, the first to be inclusive, the first to develop color stay technology and the first brand to embody women empowerment in the beauty industry. Debbie’s global perspective, financial acumen and holistic approach to brands, consumers and technology will help Revlon reclaim its leadership position. I have always trusted Debbie to bring fresh vision, innovation and success to companies, and I have no doubt she will do the same for Revlon. Debbie’s extensive experience at both MacAndrews & Forbes and Revlon, as well as her track record for innovation and breaking paradigms to compete in today’s digital and consumer-first environment, make her the ideal leader for Revlon. She is thoughtful, team-oriented and decisive, and I can think of no better way to express MacAndrews & Forbes’ support of Revlon and belief in its future than by appointing Debbie to lead the company.”

Ronald Perelman purchased Revlon in 1985.

Paul Meister, who has been overseeing the day-to-day operations of the company on an interim basis, will continue in his role as executive vice chairman of the Revlon board of directors.

Perelman, 44, is the daughter of Ronald Perelman and has spent more than 20 years at Revlon and MacAndrews & Forbes, a company that acquires and manages a diversified portfolio of public and private companies. She most recently served as executive vice president, strategy and new business development at MacAndrews & Forbes, where she focused on new technology investment opportunities, strategy and portfolio management.