Ulta Beauty announces interim CFO appointment, reaffirms 2025 guidance

Ulta Beauty, Inc. announced a change in its executive leadership, naming Chris Lialios, the company’s senior vice president – controller, as interim chief financial officer, effective immediately.

Lialios steps into this role following the departure of Paula Oyibo. The beauty retailer has initiated an external search for a permanent successor, enlisting the assistance of a leading executive search firm.

Lialios brings extensive experience to his new interim position, having served as senior vice president – controller since 2018. In this capacity, he has been responsible for Ulta Beauty's financial reporting, internal controls, and accounting policy. His tenure with the company dates back to 1999, when he joined as assistant controller, where he was instrumental in leading finance transformation efforts. Since then, he has consistently held leadership roles of increasing responsibility within Ulta Beauty’s accounting and finance organization.

Kecia Steelman, president and chief executive officer of Ulta Beauty, expressed confidence in the interim appointment, stating, “Chris has been a respected leader on Ulta Beauty’s finance team for more than 25 years, and we are thankful to him for stepping into this important interim role as we conduct a search for our next CFO.”

“We’re confident that his deep familiarity with our business coupled with his financial expertise and leadership style will ensure a smooth transition as we continue to execute our Ulta Beauty Unleashed plan,” Steelman added.

In conjunction with this leadership announcement, Ulta Beauty reaffirmed its financial guidance for fiscal 2025, which was previously provided on May 29, 2025. The company continues to anticipate comparable store sales growth to be between 0 and 1.5 percent, an operating margin of between 11.7 percent and 11.8 percent, and diluted earnings per share (EPS) in the range of 22.65 dollars to 23.20 dollars.