Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors (ICMAD) named Dr. Ken Marenus as its President. He will be responsible for overseeing the administration, programs and strategic plan of ICMAD, a US non-profit trade organization with a focus on independently owned businesses of all sizes. Other key duties include legislative advocacy, marketing, and member and community outreach. He will report directly to the Board of Directors.
Dr. Marenus has authored ten patents and numerous publications in medical and technical journals on topics ranging from product evaluation to the dermal impact of UV and IR exposure. His deep understanding of brands and the factories, labs and other entities that are an integral part of the beauty value chain, was developed from years of senior leadership experience at Estee Lauder and Mary Kay.
Over the years, Dr. Marenus has served in a number of capacities at leading beauty industry trade associations. He was President of the Dermal Clinical Evaluation Society, a group dedicated to the advancement of safety and efficacy testing in the personal care and cosmetic industry. He served as National President of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists and was Chair of the committee on scientific affairs for the society. He was formerly Chair of the Scientific Executive Committee of the Personal Care Products Council in the United States and Chair of the International and Technical Committees of Cosmetics Alliance Canada. Additionally, he was on various committees of Cosmetics Europe and of International Cooperation for Cosmetics Regulations.
“Ken brings an unbeatable combination of extensive knowledge and a passion to encourage grassroots innovation and entrepreneurship across the beauty industry. Dr. Marenus’ expertise in issues that are relevant to regulators and legislators in the US and internationally will be immensely valuable in representing and educating our members. His perspectives on the opportunities and challenges of entrepreneurship in the beauty industry resonate strongly with our members and tie closely to ICMAD’s mission,” said Sanjiv Mehra, Chairman of ICMAD.
Dr. Ken Marenus has a Ph.D. as a cell biologist from UCLA and was a post-doctoral fellow in Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University. He was an Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology and Industrial Pharmaceutics at Long Island University. Ken has also held adjunct faculty positions in Dermatology at the University of Texas at Dallas and at the State University of New York Stony Brook School of Medicine and in Biology at C.W. Post College. He is currently on the Board of Directors of the UCLA Life Sciences College.
