UK finalist 2021
Karen Betts
CEO, Nouveau HD Beauty Group
Watching her mother put on makeup as a young girl inspired Karen Betts to create the Nouveau HD Beauty Group. Based in Pontefract, the company develops and delivers professional beauty training, treatments and products, including permanent makeup, medical tattooing and skin therapies. Using these products, Karen has also made it her mission to help people living with burns and scars feel more confident about themselves.
The company is made up of several brands and relies on 99% of them being face-to-face: this has meant navigating the pandemic with agility. With perseverance, she refocussed her goal of building a billion-pound company and began putting in place a new strategy. Karen quickly unified the brands under one roof to create efficiencies and maximise market share.
I have built a strong team around me and they inspire me to keep learning and innovating. I am so proud of the way we have supported our customers during the pandemic while ensuring our own survival. I couldn’t ask for a more committed set of people.
Karen has maintained a competitive edge and Nouveau has made global inroads in the last year, entering Sweden, Canada and Australia. The overall business restructuring has ensured Nouveau has a sustainable future.
