Caroline Imbert, Executive Director, Global Field Marketing at M·A·C, joined The Estée Lauder Cos. in 2000, and has been building her career at the beauty powerhouse ever since.

In her current role, Caroline partners with regional marketing heads to provide strategic marketing direction and ensure local relevance for M·A·C’s beauty business. Extensive travel helps her to understand the cultural differences in each market, as does staying open-minded, while staying true to the brand’s DNA.

“My role is to provide the regions with a strategic marketing direction to ensure global strategies are tailored to local needs. There’s constant communication on a global basis so we are always aware of synergies or the possible need to evolve strategies,” said Caroline.

Some of Caroline’s successes include leading the collaboration for the very popular Wonder Woman makeup collection.

The beauty industry is one that she believes chose her, as opposed to her choosing it.

“As a young girl I always loved makeup and fashion and dressing up. I fell into it. My dad is in the packaging industry for cosmetics and so I was always surrounded by the beauty world,” Caroline said.

Growing up in Marseilles in the South of France until she was nine—then moving to New York and then attending college in France—likely helped in nurturing Caroline’s international proclivity.

Her career path is one that she believes has evolved naturally, without her taking any shortcuts.

“I’ve always been very eager to learn and take on a challenge. I never skipped any of the stages. I always grew into the roles I was in and learned what I could with each one. It’s been a very fluid evolution.”

Caroline leads her team by example by being demanding—yet collaborative.

“We’re in it together and I want to drive that message home. There’s a lot to take on but we’re here to collaborate. I set the bar very high.”

In the next five years, Caroline said she sees herself building the global field marketing position and also further elevating the roles of the regions.

“I think in 5 years, maybe I’ll locate to a different country. I’m open to that.”