Shiseido appoints new managing director for Malaysia

Shiseido has appointed Caroline Foo (pictured) as managing director for Malaysia, marking her return to the market after eight years working abroad.

Foo, who has been serving as president director of Shiseido Indonesia for the past three years, will take on the Malaysia role while continuing to lead the Indonesian business. The dual appointment is expected to strengthen collaboration and unlock synergies across both markets.

Reflecting on the move, Foo said her time in Indonesia was marked by significant transformation across the business, from strengthening the brand portfolio to accelerating digital and omnichannel capabilities, as well as building a more agile organisation. These efforts have helped position the company for sustained growth.

“With eight years spent living and working in Indonesia while being Malaysian, I bring both a deep understanding of the Indonesian market and a strong connection to Malaysia,” she told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. “There are many similarities but also unique strengths, and I see great potential in creating stronger collaboration across teams, whether in consumer insights, talent development, digital capabilities, or brand building.”

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Following her appointment, Foo will continue to report to Nicole Tan, CEO and president of Shiseido Asia Pacific. In her new role, she will oversee overall business strategy, brand portfolio and market growth for Malaysia, while maintaining leadership of Indonesia, a key Southeast Asian market for the group.

Her expanded scope includes strengthening brand presence, accelerating innovation and consumer engagement, and building partnerships across retail and distribution channels. At the same time, the dual role will allow for greater sharing of best practices across both markets, particularly in areas such as digital, retail and regional insights.

Foo’s career spans branding and marketing roles across beauty, FMCG and banking, and she noted that stepping into a directorship role required a broader perspective beyond brand-building.

Prior to joining Shiseido in 2023, Foo had been with L'Oréal for eight and a half years, beginning as brand manager before moving up to group brand director and general manager in Indonesia. She also had a five-year stint with Citi heading its retail bank marketing, and also spent seven years at Procter & Gamble. 

“It involves taking a more holistic view across strategy, operations and people,” she said. “One key lesson I’ve learned is that strong businesses are ultimately built on strong teams. Empowering people, fostering a culture of enablement and aligning a shared vision are critical to long-term success.”

She added that staying close to consumers remains essential, even at a leadership level, particularly in the fast-evolving beauty industry. Regular interactions with frontline staff and customers continue to shape her understanding of market shifts and consumer expectations.

Looking ahead, Foo said her return to Malaysia carries both professional and personal significance.

“Malaysia has always been home, so being able to contribute to the market in a leadership role while still working closely with the Indonesian team is very special,” she said. “It is an incredibly vibrant and sophisticated beauty market with highly engaged consumers, and I’m excited to further grow our brands and deepen consumer connections here.”

In other recent movements across the industry, Meta has appointed seasoned marketing and digital transformation leader Lau Sook Ping as its new country director for Malaysia. Lau joins Meta from L’Oréal, where she spent over a decade in various leadership roles, most recently serving as chief digital and marketing officer for Malaysia and Singapore.

Meanwhile, personal care brand Stryv has appointed Vanessa Tan as its chief marketing officer, reflecting the company’s push to strengthen brand building and regional expansion. And Shake Shack has promoted Alaric Sng to global marketing director, reporting to Matthew Silverstein, managing director, APAC & Middle East.

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