2025 Speakers

Mary van Praag is CEO of Milani Cosmetics, where she has led a successful transformation strategy resulting in significant market expansion and record-setting top- and bottom-line growth. Under her leadership, Milani was recently honored as one of Fast Company’s 2024 Brands That Matter and named to the BeautyMatter Future50 list for 2025, reflecting the brand’s innovation and industry impact. An inclusive, visionary executive with more than 30 years of global omnichannel leadership experience, van Praag joined Milani in August 2020 and was named Brand Builder of the Year by WWD’s Beauty Inc. in 2023 and one of Glossy’s 50 people shaping fashion and beauty in 2024.

Van Praag has a strong record of driving P&L performance and executing growth strategies and turnarounds for major names in the beauty, apparel and consumer sectors. Prior to joining Milani, she was President of the Intimates Group at Chico’s FAS, where she revitalized the Soma brand while launching a new DTC business. She also previously served as CEO of Perricone MD, where she guided the prestige skincare brand through digital, broadcast and international expansion. Her earlier executive experience spans international and domestic leadership roles at Coty, Inc., where she served as General Manager of OPI Products and General Manager of Coty Canada, as well as corporate and regional sales leadership positions at Johnson & Johnson and Revlon.

Van Praag also serves as a member of the Milani board of directors. She holds a BS in Business from Miami University and completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School.