Sephora appoints George Tsoukalas as GM for Australia & New Zealand

By Alessandro Carrara | Published: 12-Jun-2026
Retail

The appointment strengthens the LVMH-owned beauty retailer’s position in the region, and comes as Australian beauty brands have seen an ‘exponential’ boom in growth in 2026

Sephora has named George Tsoukalas GM for Australia & New Zealand (ANZ).

Tsoukalas will direct a “new chapter” for the LVMH-owned beauty retailer’s operations in the region, with Australian beauty brands in particular seeing exponential growth in 2026.

Most recently, Tsoukalas served as Managing Director of travel retailer Heinemann Oceania, progressing through the business across operations, category management and marketing roles.

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"The future is bright for Sephora Australia and New Zealand,” said Tsoukalas.

“As we move towards the second half of the year, we will be unveiling new brands and exciting initiatives, but equally important is doubling down on the fundamentals – our people, our brand partners and our community of beauty fans.”

Tsoukalas brings extensive experience across the luxury, beauty and retail sectors, having held senior leadership roles in sales and marketing with French beauty giant L'Oréal, LVMH Perfumes & Cosmetics, and global beauty brand Elizabeth Arden earlier in his career.

He subsequently spent seven years at Scentre Group – owner and operator of Westfield Shopping Centres – as Head of Sales for Brands to Retail.

Sephora said in a statement that the appointment reflects the business' “commitment to driving results through strong leadership and deepening the relationships and partnership culture that sit at the heart of its success”.

Tsoukalas added: “We are focused on strengthening our presence across Australia and New Zealand, and reaffirming our position as the world's leading global prestige beauty retailer."

Australia has become an increasing focal point for the beauty industry in recent years, with homegrown brands expanding outwards globally, while Western and European businesses also look to solidify their footprint in the country.

Australian SPF brand Airyday recently made its debut in the UK, with plans to expand to South America, Canada and Europe in the future.

Earlier this year, Indu, the British teen skin care brand, broke into ANZ via an exclusive partnership with Sephora.

The UK-founded premium entry-level brand launched into 38 of the LVMH-owned retailer’s stores across ANZ – its first international market – on 9 February.

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