The Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) has appointed Heather Helm as its new executive vice president of global strategies, bringing more than two decades of international trade expertise to the personal care and cosmetics industry.
Helm joins PCPC from the U.S. Department of Commerce, where she spent 22 years navigating complex global trade environments.
In her new role, she will spearhead the council's international advocacy efforts, focusing on market access, regulatory harmonisation, and promoting the sector's economic contributions worldwide.
The appointment comes as personal care manufacturers face mounting regulatory divergence across key markets and an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape affecting global supply chains.
"Heather's appointment comes at a pivotal moment for our industry," said Tom Myers, president and chief executive of PCPC. "Her deep understanding of global regulatory systems and ability to advance economic competitiveness will be instrumental in reinforcing our advocacy efforts worldwide."
Most recently, Helm served as principal deputy assistant secretary for industry and analysis at the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration.
In that capacity, she oversaw programmes aimed at strengthening U.S. industrial competitiveness globally, managing a team of over 275 trade and industry specialists whose work underpins trade policy, promotion, and competitiveness initiatives.
Her career at Commerce also included senior positions such as acting deputy assistant secretary, services executive director, and director for the Office of Central and Southeast Europe within the Global Markets division.
Helm's contributions to international trade policy have earned her several federal honours, including the 2021 Department of Commerce Silver Medal Award and the 2020 Charles F. Meissner Memorial Award.
She holds a bachelor's degree in international studies and a master's in international relations, both from American University.
PCPC appoints former Commerce Department executive to lead global strategy
