Olaplex Names Christoph Kaul CEO as Henkel Integration Advances

Christoph Kaul is Olaplex's new CEO, succeeding Amanda Baldwin, who has run the professional haircare brand since 2023 and now hands the top job to a longtime executive from Henkel — the company that acquired Olaplex earlier this year.

The appointment puts a Henkel insider in charge of the bond-building brand, and that signals how the acquisition is settling into the org chart. Kaul brings more than 13 years of experience at Henkel, most recently as regional head of strategy and transformation in the U.S. Before that, he spent more than five years at L'Oréal. For salon owners and distributors, the leadership choice suggests Olaplex's roadmap will be drawn increasingly inside Henkel's consumer and professional divisions.

Baldstein's departure closes a defined chapter. Baldwin steered the brand through its post-IPO turbulence and oversaw its recent growth, including launches such as its bond shaping technology. Kaul inherits that foundation and a clear brief: innovation.

"It is a special opportunity to build on the extraordinary foundation created by Amanda Baldwin and her entire team," Kaul says. "I have tremendous respect for what they have built, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to carry that work forward."

In his second statement, Kaul pointed to the priorities salon professionals will want to track: "I am looking forward to working closely with the Olaplex leadership team and the broader organization as we continue our focus on innovation and delivering the performance, quality, and results our customers and consumers trust," he says. "A big thank you to the entire Olaplex team for the incredibly warm welcome. I am excited for this next chapter and all that we can accomplish together."

What does this mean behind the chair? A CEO with a strategy-and-transformation background at a major acquirer typically means portfolio review: which SKUs stay, which get refreshed, and how quickly new technology reaches the back bar. Kaul's explicit focus on innovation hints at accelerated product development cycles for Olaplex's professional line, which remains a core add-on service in color and lightening work for many salons.

For salons, the practical watch points are straightforward. Expect clearer alignment between Olaplex launches and Henkel's broader professional portfolio, potential changes in distribution and pricing structure as integration deepens, and continuity questions around education and support programs that Baldwin's team built.

Kaul's language — "carry that work forward" — suggests continuity rather than a reset, and his dual pedigree at Henkel and L'Oréal gives him fluency in both mass and professional channels.

The next data point to watch: Kaul's first product or pipeline announcement as CEO, which will show whether Henkel's ownership speeds Olaplex's innovation cadence or tightens it.