Catching up with...Oriele Frank

Oriele Frank studied BA Business Studies and graduated from Kingston University in 1988. Oriele is the Chief Product & Sustainability Officer and Co-Founder of global British skincare brand ELEMIS, and an industry expert in brand strategy, marketing, communication, product concept, packaging and design.

Tell us about a typical day for you at ELEMIS?

ELEMIS is incredibly fast-paced, nimble, high energy with an entrepreneurial spirit. Post-Covid, we are transitioning to more of a hybrid environment of three days in the office and two days working from home. At ELEMIS, we are trendsetters, not followers, so we constantly push to be the best we can be, never standing still.

Every day is totally different! I can be visiting our labs in Somerset, working with the team on the long-term vision for ELEMIS product development, or dealing with the complexities of global distribution and supply chain challenges. I've had the pleasure more recently of spearheading sustainability and our journey to B Corp (Certified B Corporation). This is a mammoth task of changing the mindset of the brand in every way to get closer to our goals connected to biodiversity, climate and people. There has never been a quiet day, but I'm lucky to enjoy what I do, constantly evolving my knowledge and experience, whilst also ensuring we have some fun with the team too.

What are the two biggest sustainability challenges facing ELEMIS today?

The first big challenge is sourcing more sustainable packaging to push the boundaries of being 100% recyclable or refillable in the future. We really need more innovation from the packaging companies in pumps, airless systems and also more competitive and better waste streams of PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) plastic.

The other big challenge is to focus on reducing our carbon footprint, especially our Scope 3 emissions, as we continue to grow the business globally. We have a few innovative ideas and campaigns that we are working on.

What have been your career highlights so far?

There have been so many, but I would say the following are probably my top highlights:

• Launching the House of ELEMIS flagship in Mayfair in 2000 - just when my first child was born too! (Great timing!)
• Creating our award-winning formulations for our number one selling products Pro-Collagen Marine Cream and Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm
• Winning Best British Brand as voted by our industry at the CEW Beauty Awards twice, and Best British Brand voted by the public at The Sunday Times Style Magazine and Industry Special Achiever Award in 2019
• L Catterton, Private Equity selling our brand to L'Occitane Group in 2019 for $900M
• Studying ‘Leadership in Sustainability' at Cambridge University for my new role as Chief Product and Sustainability Officer. It's such a big responsibility, but it's important to me, the brand, our consumer, and the world that we make this change.
• Meeting Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace for dinner and chatting about the banning of microbeads!

What career advice would you give recent graduates?

Don't ever limit yourself and give it a go. In my career, I've touched every aspect of the brand, giving me such breadth and knowledge not only about the beauty industry, but business as well.

It is constantly evolving. When we started ELEMIS, the internet didn't exist, no mobile phones and we used the fax! Our world could not have changed more. Embrace change, keep learning, evolving and invest time in people and networking. I am still learning 30 years on, watching webinars and attending networking events. I am currently trying to get up to speed on the metaverse and carbon offsetting!

What's your favourite Kingston memory?

OK, so I just asked my WhatsApp Kingston Group of Girls (yes, we are still in touch regularly) and a flurry of memories came through - mostly involving having a good time! Sports night down at Penrhyn Road bar on Wednesday evenings, Gypsy Hill Friday night discos and three months in Montpelier at ESCAE Business School!

I lived in a house in New Malden with four boys. When I graduated, I travelled the world and then moved back to the same house with four girls! We did have a brilliant time and I have kept in touch with many of them.

Tell us something no one would guess about you.

I cycled 500km across Myanmar a few years back with 40 amazing women, and it was an incredible experience!

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