Early Life
Reinold Geiger was born on July 10, 1947, in Dornbirn, Austria. The son of a carpenter, Geiger pursued higher education, obtaining a degree in engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich in 1969 and an MBA from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France, in 1976.
Rise to Success
After completing his education, Geiger founded several small companies, including a tourism venture in London. In 1978, he established AMS Packaging Company in Paris, specializing in cosmetics packaging. Geiger later sold this company at a profit. In 1994, Geiger invested in the then-small cosmetics company L'Occitane en Provence. He took over its management, expanding it into a global group. A significant milestone was the company's listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in May 2010.
Key Business Strategies
Geiger's key strategy involved expanding L'Occitane globally, establishing over 3,400 outlets in 90 countries. He spearheaded the company's growth, especially in Asia. He also focused on the quality of products, believing that customers would return if quality was maintained. In 2021, he stepped down as CEO but remained chairman and executive director.
Philanthropy
In 2006, Geiger created the L'Occitane Foundation with the goal of funding quality optometry services for 10 million people by 2020.
