CEW is delighted to share the latest news from Chair Vasiliki Petrou, whose next chapter marks an exciting evolution in beauty investment and innovation.
Vasiliki Petrou and SEMCAP: Shaping the Future of Global Beauty and Wellness
CEW UK Chair and renowned beauty industry leader Vasiliki Petrou has entered a landmark partnership with growth equity platform SEMCAP, launching and leading its new Beauty & Wellness vertical.
The partnership integrates Petrou’s investment and advisory platform, The Veralis Group, into the SEMCAP ecosystem, marking a new chapter in her career-long mission to scale visionary brands through a founder-first lens.
A Proven Architect of Global Success
Petrou’s reputation as one of the industry’s most accomplished executives stems from a track record of building multibillion-euro portfolios and founding successful global divisions. Before joining SEMCAP, she spent more than a decade as CEO of Unilever Prestige, a division she created in 2014. Under her leadership, the business achieved 13 consecutive quarters of volume-led growth and reached €1.4 billion in turnover by 2023.
She is widely credited for identifying and scaling brands with a strong point of difference and a truly global outlook, among them Dermalogica, Tatcha, Hourglass, and Paula’s Choice. Her earlier 19-year tenure at Procter & Gamble, where she held senior international leadership roles, laid the foundation for her distinctive approach to long-term brand-building.
The Strategic Vision: Personalised Longevity
Petrou’s partnership with SEMCAP arrives amid what co-founder Walter “Buck” Buckley describes as a “seismic shift” across the $6.8 trillion global beauty and wellness market, where wellness has evolved from a discrete activity to a vital, daily, and highly personalised practice.
The new Beauty & Wellness vertical will focus on:
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Clinically backed innovation – investing in skincare, hair care, cosmetics, and fragrance brands rooted in proven science.
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Personalised health solutions – supporting the rising demand for nutraceuticals and supplements that help consumers live longer, healthier lives.
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Future-ready technology – exploring AI-driven models and the convergence of health, technology, and beauty.
Empowering the Next Generation of Modern Strategics
Through this vertical, SEMCAP plans to make majority or significant minority investments in high-growth businesses across North America and Europe, typically those with established net sales of $30-50 million. Petrou aims to double the scale of these companies by connecting them with a purpose-led network of scientists, partners, and industry experts.
Her philosophy blends “old-fashioned values with modern thinking,” with a strong commitment to fostering inclusive, forward-thinking teams. A passionate advocate for female leadership, Petrou continues to champion a more diverse and neuro-inclusive beauty industry.
By joining forces with SEMCAP co-founders Walter Buckley and Cyrus Vandrevala, she is set to create what she describes as a new generation of “modern strategics” – agile, science-led brands designed to meet the holistic needs of the modern beauty and wellness consumer.
Petrou’s latest venture stands as a testament to the pioneering spirit and collaborative leadership that continue to inspire the CEW community.
