Sephora President and CEO Artemis Patrick on Innovation, Customer Obsession, and Courage
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Co-Founder Melissa Campanelli interviews Artemis Patrick, president and CEO of Sephora North America, the global leader in prestige beauty retail. The interview was recorded at the Women in Retail: On the Road event in San Francisco last week. Listen in as Patrick shares how challenging childhood experiences shaped her as a leader (1:45) and how she built her 20-year career at the beauty retailer (5:45). Known as “the brand whisperer,” Patrick divulges how she recognizes emerging consumer trends before they become mainstream (9:30), and identifies how teams are using artificial intelligence across the business (3:15).
In addition, Patrick touches on why AI has encouraged her to remain curious as a leader (17:20), and deciding when to take risks to fuel long-term growth (18:35). She discusses what she’s focused on to drive Sephora’s next chapter of growth (22:15), its innovative new store designs (24:20), and what keeps her motivated (26:00). Lastly, Patrick shares advice for the next generation of women leaders (27:00) as well as answers a series of rapid-fire questions to conclude the conversation (28:00).
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Artemis Patrick is the president and CEO of Sephora North America. In her role, Artemis is responsible for the strategy, vision, and financial performance of Sephora’s United States and Canadian businesses, shaping multiyear growth plans to maintain the company’s position as the No. 1 prestige beauty omni-retailer. Artemis is a member of Sephora’s Global Leadership Team (SLT) and leads Sephora North America’s Operating Committee. She also sits on the Levi Strauss & Co. Board of Directors, where she serves on the board’s Audit and Nominating, Governance and Corporate Citizenship Committees.
Artemis has a proven track record as a multifaceted leader with roots in merchandising, brand building, partnerships, and e-commerce. Since joining Sephora in 2006, her deep industry knowledge and leadership expertise have been pivotal to the company’s success. Artemis has been a consistent leader across several business functions, most recently as global merchandising officer for Sephora and chief merchandising officer for Sephora Americas. She has also served as senior vice president and general manager of Sephora inside JCPenney, and prior to that served as the vice president of e-commerce merchandising for Sephora.com.
Artemis received her BA in Economics from University of California Santa Cruz and University of Madrid Spain, and her MBA from San Francisco State University, where she was recently inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and daughter.
Date: November 10, 2026
Credits: Artemis Patrick
Duration: 31:10
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