Communicator Spotlight: Blanca Juti of L'Oréal Groupe
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Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photo: Courtesy of L'Oréal Groupe
Blanca Juti serves as the chief corporate affairs and engagement officer for the French beauty company, L'Oréal Groupe, based in Paris.
Why it matters: She's responsible for telling the story of L'Oréal and its 37 brands across the world.
What she's saying: "My job is building trust," she told me over tea near New York City's Bryant Park. "Trust always starts with doing the right thing and doing what you say you're going to do, and then it's about communicating that and engaging on it."
- "Communications is a very strategic function in a company, because you can conduct business more easily if you build trust, and that requires engagement," she added.
How she got here: Juti spent more than a decade based in Finland, where she worked at Nokia in various operations, investor relations and marketing roles.
- She then joined Rovio Entertainment as chief brand officer, where she oversaw the Angry Birds brand.
- Before joining L'Oréal in 2021, she served as chief corporate affairs officer at Heineken.
The intrigue: When she was approached about the job at L'Oréal, she asked herself, "Does the world need another lipstick?"
- "And I came to the conclusion that, of course, the world needs another lipstick, because beauty is a human need," she said. "It has existed throughout time in every single culture. It's both an individual expression as well as a social need, because if you stop looking after yourself, you distance yourself from society. It also helps you express who you are and which groups you belong to."
How it's structured: Juti reports to CEO Nicolas Hieronimus and oversees a global team of more than 700 who manage public affairs, government relations, external and internal communications, brand communications, corporate brand marketing, and social media.
Trend spot: She is watching how brands are using AI in marketing campaigns — though as the fourth largest advertiser in the world, L'Oréal has committed to not use AI for its advertising.
Who she's watching: Global, mission-driven brands like Nike, Ikea and Patagonia.
Best advice: Protect your personal time.
- "I always tell myself, I am not my title," Juti said. " I recently had cancer and now more than ever it's important to look after myself, exercise and spend time with my loved ones."
