‘Like Alice in Wonderland, I’m expecting to feel amazement’: L’Oréal Deputy CEO Barbara Lavernos

On Day 1, the Editorial Team cannot wait to see one of the three must-attend sessions for our journalists: Elevating the Social Contract: CEO Insights.

Barbara Lavernos, deputy CEO of L’Oréal, will join Aliaxis’ CEO Eric Olsen and Jérémie Lecha, CEO of the Rouiller Group.

The session will be moderated by HEC Paris’ professor Emeritus Dr. Charles-Henri Besseyre des Horts, and it will see the CEOs debate the future of employee value proposition in the post-COVID-19 world, and how that intersects with tech and innovation.

Frankly, this is a must-see at UNLEASH World 2023. It’s not too late to grab your ticket!

UNLEASH caught up with Lavernos ahead of Paris to ask her, what should attendees expect? And what is she most looking forward to?

Here’s a snippet of three top messages to expect from Lavernos.

HR is an essential function

One of the messages attendees can expect from Lavernos is how the French cosmetics giant’s leadership views HR.

“It is an essential function, truly. I will not say this because it is a HR conference. But anyone can see in our Paris headquarters, on the same floor of the CEO, we have myself, the chairman of the board, and the HR function.

“This is essential because HR needs to be at this level. We  are in exchange all the time.”

HR tech needs to help us adapt to the post-COVID-19 world

What is the future of HR Tech?

Lavernos says this is at the core of her role, and that she spends “half of her work life” with the top tech companies of the world trying to discover where technology will lead us next.

“After COVID-19, many wondered if more time away from the office and commuting would help people move more freely and bring more productivity.

“I know a lot of companies decided to fully move to less square meters.

“The main challenge for CEOs in the world of today is that this assumption is absolutely not true.

“So, what do we do, and how do we look to HR Tech and to culture to address this?”

Barbara Lavernos, deputy CEO, L’Oréal.

Of course, AI looms large.

Lavernos will talk about employee value proposition (EVP) and how leaders can look at AI – the topic of the year –  through the lens of augmenting employee skills whilst also maintaining a duty of care to employees.

Lavernos notes that some jobs and skillsets will see a relatively rapid change in three to five years.

“How do we augment and not diminish creativity with this technology?

“That’s what is at stake, and I think it is our moral commitment.”

UNLEASH World as a source of inspiration

Lavernos described her role as future-facing, characterizing a core mantra as “listening to our employees and the world to see what we can do better.”

With that mind, the UNLEASH Editorial team asked her why UNLEASH World?

“I’m super excited,” she said.

“I think I will be inspired by the speakers you have in your line-up.

“But also, as I told you, technology is at the heart of what we do. And I will be looking at the startups to see if I can see some new insights.

“So for me, it’s a fabulous source of inspiration. I will be like Alice in Wonderland. I will be opening my ears and my eyes and really listening….I’m expecting to feel amazement.”