Virtue Labs taps Jose Luis Palacios as CEO

Virtue Labs, the fast-growing biotech haircare company, has tapped Jose Luis Palacios as its chief executive officer as it announces a new growth equity finance round led by Clearasil and Just for Men owner Combe, Inc., its majority shareholder.

Palacios succeeds Virtue Labs founder Melisse Shaban, who launched the haircare brand in 2017. Shaban will continue to serve as an advisor to the CEO and the board.

John Rice, chairman of Virtue, said in a statement: "Jose Luis is a visionary leader, and an experienced operator, with a proven track record of driving growth and innovation in the consumer brands industry. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise to Virtue, and we are confident that he will lead us to new heights of success.”

Palacios joins Virtue after a long career in the consumer brands industry, including global leadership positions at Procter & Gamble, Coty Inc., and most recently, Google, where he worked in the consumer product goods division.

Commenting on his appointment, Palacios added: “I look forward to working with the talented team at Virtue to accelerate our growth and development across digital, retail and salon channels, in the US and Internationally, and to deliver exceptional value to our customers, consumers, partners and shareholders.”