Reuben Carranza Joins amika and Eva NYC as Chief Executive Officer

Seasoned Executive Brings Over 15 years of Executive Leadership in Beauty and Personal Care

New York, June 1, 2022 – amika and Eva NYC, two of the fastest-growing scaled independent haircare brands in the U.S., today announced that Reuben Carranza will join as Chief Executive Officer, effective July 5, 2022.

Mr. Carranza brings more than 15 years of executive leadership experience building and scaling innovative brands within the beauty industry. He most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Kate Somerville, a prestige skincare brand, where he accelerated the business’ international expansion. Prior to Kate Somerville, Mr. Carranza served as President of Olaplex, where he oversaw the company’s long-term corporate strategy, expansion into new geographies, and launch into specialty retail through Sephora. Throughout his career, he has led both startup and established brands in professional, prestige, and masstige beauty and personal care including at R+Co, Wella NA, and Procter & Gamble.

Mr. Carranza will work closely with amika President Chelsea Riggs and Eva NYC President Jane Moran to build on the distinct momentum each brand has built and position the businesses for long-term, sustainable success. He will also work closely with amika and Eva NYC’s new partners at Bansk Group - a consumer-focused private investment firm dedicated to building distinctive consumer brands - which recently agreed to acquire a majority stake in the brands.

“Reuben has an exceptional track record building leading beauty and personal care brands domestically and internationally, and we are thrilled that he will be leading amika and Eva NYC in the next phase of the brands’ growth,” said Chris Kelly, Partner at Bansk Group. “His breadth of experience leading innovative prestige and masstige beauty businesses will be invaluable as we execute on exciting growth opportunities. We look forward to working closely with him and the amika and Eva NYC leadership teams as we bring the brands’ sustainable, high-quality, and effective haircare products to more customers around the world.”

“As the son of a hairdresser, I grew up in the salon world and I am thrilled for the opportunity to lead the incredibly talented teams at amika and Eva NYC during such a pivotal time in haircare,” said Mr. Carranza. “Demand for prestige and masstige haircare continues to accelerate as customers are increasingly passionate about what goes into products and how they are formulated. Both amika and Eva NYC have built distinctive brands founded on proven efficacy, sustainability, and inclusivity, championing innovation and diversity since inception – I am confident that we will capitalize on a number of new and exciting organic growth and expansion opportunities in the space.”

About amika Since its founding in 2009, amika has grown to become one of the largest independent haircare brands in the U.S. and is the only independent brand of scale that sits at the intersection of professional, prestige, and digital channels. amika’s clean and highly effective portfolio of haircare products and tools has earned the brand numerous accolades, including its standing as a Top 10 hair brand at Sephora, #2 partner brand at SalonCentric, and one of WWD’s Most Powerful Beauty Brands. Through its commitment to professional-quality products and an inclusive ethos, amika has built a passionate and diverse community of consumers and salon professionals.

About Eva NYC Founded in 2012, Eva NYC is one of the fastest growing masstige haircare brands in the U.S., with a deep focus on sustainability, affordability, and proven results. The brand was named one of the Top 10 fastest growing haircare brands by Tribe Dynamics, the #1 fastest growing mass hair brand at Ulta, and the #1 fastest growing hair brand at Sally Beauty for the third consecutive year. As the only masstige haircare brand with an aluminum portfolio that is 100 percent recyclable, certified cruelty-free, vegan, non-GMO, and free of harmful ingredients, Eva NYC combines powerful, clean ingredients with innovative technologies and a leading network of U.S. retail distribution partnerships to reach a growing number of sustainably-minded customers each day.

About Bansk Group Founded in 2019, Bansk Group is a New York-based private investment firm focused on investing in and building distinctive consumer brands. With over $2 billion in assets under management, the firm partners with differentiated brands across four primary consumer categories: beauty & personal care, consumer health, food & beverage, and household products.

Bansk's tenured group of investors and operators have invested more than $30 billion of equity capital across more than 40 transactions with some of the most innovative and well-known consumer companies in the world. With more than three decades of investment experience in the consumer products industry, a global network of relationships, and a tested value creation playbook, Bansk seeks to partner with exceptional founders and management teams to drive outsized organic and acquisitive growth and to position brands for enduring long-term success in the evolving consumer landscape. www.banskgroup.com


Contacts Bansk Group
Woomi Yun / Erik Carlson
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
212-355-4449