The Honest Company appoints chief growth officer

The Honest Company, the clean beauty and lifestyle brand founded by Jessica Alba, has named Kate Barton as its new chief growth officer.

Barton, described as an experienced innovator, lifestyle brand builder and established CPG business operator, will report to The Honest Company’s chief executive Carla Vernón and work alongside the brand’s executive leadership team to execute its new ‘Transformation Initiative’.

The new initiative focuses on three primary pillars - brand maximisation, margin enhancement and operating discipline. Barton will oversee Honest’s baby, beauty, wellness, personal care and household care categories, as well as guide the company’s Honest.com, creative design and communications teams.

Carla Vernón, chief executive of The Honest Company, said in a statement: "Kate is the best kind of triple-threat. She brings a strong track record of scaling omnichannel founder-built brands, elevating high-profile beauty businesses and growing classic CPG portfolios. As we step into a new stage of unleashing the strength of the Honest brand, Kate’s leadership will drive growth ideas that inspire the loyalty and imagination of our discerning and passionate consumers.

“As a leader, brand builder and mother of three little ones, Kate's signature combination of heart and horsepower has allowed her to grow clean, natural and lifestyle brands in beauty, food and home categories through e-commerce, physical retail and modern content channels. We are thrilled that Kate will lead the next stage of Honest’s growth and our mission to make the best products for people who love living consciously.”

Jessica Alba, founder and chief creative officer of The Honest Company, added: "Kate is the ideal leader to serve as our first-ever Chief Growth Officer, with her expertise in omnichannel marketing and intuitive ability to unlock the power and potential of a brand through her deep understanding of consumer dynamics and preferences.

“In addition to her impressive background, Kate is also deeply passionate about cultivating brands that positively impact our society and communities, which is at the heart of our company ethos. I look forward to working alongside her as we bring Honest to its next chapter.”

Barton joins Honest from her recent role as chief brand officer of lifestyle company Magnolia, where she led high-performing teams across marketing, creative and design. She also has experience in beauty and skincare from her time as the executive director of marketing for Estee Lauder’s Aveda brand, where she was responsible for driving year-over-year share growth across North American B2B and B2C channels. Prior to Aveda, Barton was at Johnson & Johnson managing global campaigns for Clean & Clear and led Neutrogena’s global anti-ageing innovation pipeline.