Drybar welcomes Liz Williams as its first female CEO

Drybar Holdings LLC, the leading hair styling service specialising in blowouts, announces Liz Williams will join the company as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Williams brings extensive experience and a proven track record in worldwide brand development, digital marketing, multi-unit operations, and franchising.

“I am so thrilled to welcome Liz, our first female CEO, into the Drybar family,” said Alli Webb, Founder of Drybar. “After ten fulfilling and successful years in business, she will help usher in a new era for the brand and expand upon our vision both in the US and internationally.”

“We are excited to welcome a visionary leader like Liz to the Drybar family at this pivotal moment as we reopen our shops,” said Michael Landau, chair of Drybar’s board. “Liz is a results-oriented leader with a history of partnering with team members and franchisees to deliver amazing consumer experiences and growth.” Williams will oversee Drybar’s 140+ retail shops, which include corporate and franchise-operated locations.

“Drybar has created a category and cult brand with passionate and loyal consumers; I am very excited and honoured to be joining the Drybar family at such a pivotal time in the Company’s history,” said Liz Williams.

“I look forward to guiding the organisation as we reopen our shops safely for our customers and team members whilst also leading Drybar through the next phase of growth. I plan to partner with all of our stakeholders to enhance our customer experiences whilst continuing a culture of innovation as we expand across the US and the world.”

Williams joins Drybar from Yum Brands where she most recently served as President, Taco Bell International with responsibility for brand strategy, growth and performance of the business across 30 countries. In this role, Williams strengthened the business model and accelerated development. Under Williams’ leadership, Taco Bell entered new markets such as Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand and also formed strategic master franchise agreements in Spain, Brazil, and India.

Prior to this role, Williams was the Taco Bell Global CFO, leading Finance, Strategy, Information Technology, and eCommerce, where she was responsible for all financial elements of the US$11b/£8.6b business. Whilst at Taco Bell, Williams delivered eight years of industry-leading sales, profit, unit, and brand growth. She also spent a year at Yum, leading corporate strategy for the office of the CEO.

Before joining Yum, Williams spent six years with The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) as a Principal in the Consumer and Retail practices in US and Asian markets. Prior to that, she spent seven years at Dell Computer in various finance, brand marketing, and corporate sales positions. Williams serves as a board member for Stitch Fix (SFIX), a leading online personal styling service. Williams received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas Business Honors Programme and her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.