For more than two decades, JuE Wong has led – and turned around – both well-known and emerging beauty brands, including Astral Brand, StriVectin, Elizabeth Arden, Moroccanoil and most recently, Olaplex.
She took the helm of one of the largest global independent hair care companies during the height of the pandemic in 2020, where she managed to complete Olaplex’s IPO in October 2021 and saw $600,000 in annual revenue last year, a 112% YOY increase, according to Forbes.
Prior to her time as Global CEO of Moroccanoil, a leading argan oil beauty products distributor, Wong made headlines when she became the first Singaporean to take the reins of an international beauty brand as president at Elizabeth Arden. Before that, she won the Gold Stevie Award for Female Executive of the Year in consumer products as CEO of StriVectin.
More recently, she was recognized for her impact and leadership as an honoree on the Know Your Value and Forbes “50 Over 50” lifestyle list, which celebrates women who achieved remarkable success later in life.
“Morning Joe” reporter Daniela Pierre-Bravo caught up with the beauty veteran on her reaction to making the list and her advice for other women climbing the corporate ladder.
“So, I was looking on social media, which I spend a lot of time on because I’m with a company that built the brand through social,” Wong told Pierre-Bravo. “When I saw that list I was like, is this a joke? I never thought that I was make any list, much less the Forbes ‘50 over 50’ list.”
But for Wong, the honor meant more than making the list.
“It’s seeing all of the honorees and all of the people that are on that list and to be part of it – and use that to make a difference ultimately,” she added. “You know whether it’s bringing things forward, helping other women in the space – and then letting people know that all things are possible as long as you are your authentic self.”
Wong is living proof that all things are possible, and that women have a long career runway. Starting out as a commodities trader at Cargill, she spent the first part of her career in Singapore, Hong Kong and Geneva.
Eventually, she moved to the U.S., where she made the decision to prioritize work-life balance and break into the booming beauty industry, starting with skin-care brands like ZO Skin Health and Astral Health & Beauty.
Wong credited her successful career transition to the colleagues and mentors who were willing to take chance on her. “I am the beneficiary of so many women – so many men as well – who saw the potential in me and said, ‘I’ll give you a chance, I’ll open a door, I’ll make an introduction,’” she said. “And that made all the difference. Obviously, it’s up to myself to see what I can get, how far I can go. I would encourage anyone to seek out someone because everybody feels flattered when someone asks them for help. So don’t be afraid to ask.”
As for imagining her career after 50, Wong cited her upbringing as her blueprint. “I come from Singapore and my mom was the head of the I.T. department at Exxon Chemicals,” she told Pierre-Bravo. “When I saw her, I always said if she can do it, I definitely have the genetic profile to do it.”
That has been a lesson she’s echoed throughout her career, the dynamic and values instilled by her parents. “My father was a stay-at-home dad and my mother was the career woman,” she said in a recent Olaplex podcast. “I always had the impression that that was the norm – that fathers can actually stay at home and mothers can actually go out and work. So, when I got into the workplace, I never saw myself as having to conform.”
Know Your Value staff