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Oh, Yes You Cannes!

An epic gathering of L’Oréal Professionnel Paris’s (LPP’s) élite salon owner Portfolio Club

by CATHERINE | INFORM

A glamorous view, a legendary city, an iconic moment,” announced Aurélien Guibert, the newly appointed Managing Director of L’Oréal Professional Products Division, as he welcomed guests to the 2025 gathering of L’Oréal Professionnel Paris’s (LPP’s) élite salon owner Portfolio Club this April. And with a stay in the ultra-deluxe Hotel Carlton in Cannes, complete with gorgeous sunshine, a crystal-blue sea and the greatest people-watching opportunities on the planet along the palm-lined Promenade de la Croisette, all the ingredients were in place for an epic experience.

Aurélien Guibret, Managing Director of L’Oréal Professional Products Division

As leading industry business thinkers, Portfolio members are used to challenging the norms, and with UK hairdressing undergoing a period of massive reinvention, LPP delivered food for thought from two keynote speakers. Damian Hughes, co-host of The High-Performance Podcast, gave advice on how to help teams navigate change (“You don’t need the answers, but you need to know how to ask the right questions,” he advised), while Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon encouraged the audience to “get out of your comfort zone” not just to embrace, but to help shape, technology in the workplace.

Meanwhile, LPP general manager Sussan Verghese took the opportunity to highlight the strength of the brand in the UK market, with 3.5X growth ahead of the pro hair market, cutting-edge technological breakthroughs in its product portfolio and incredibly strong consumer awareness. Strategies moving forward include elevating luxury colour services and dominating on colour-based care, armed with products like Vitamino and Metal Detox.

Portfolio Summits also provide a unique platform for members to share ideas and learn from each other, and the LPP team laid on a host of networking opportunities, including an al fresco lunch at the Carlton Beach Club, a boat trip with wine tasting tour and dinner at the world-famous La Maison de Bacon in nearby Antibes. With everyone sat at a single table, looking out across the spectacular coastline and enjoying some of the finest cuisine in the South of France, it was hard to think of a better way to celebrate UK hairdressing at the very highest level.