Coty Inc. CEO Wins the Race on the Water and in the Beauty Industry

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Bernd Beetz, chief executive officer of Coty Inc. helped lead his team, The Mannheimer Ruder Club, to a self-fulfilling victory in the Master Eight 40+ division of the 42nd annual Head Of The Charles(R) Regatta -- the world's largest and most prestigious two-day rowing event. One of 31 crews to compete in the Master Eight 40+, the Mannheimer Ruder placed 19th.

"The crew's rigorous training and determination stayed the course today. I'm thrilled we placed 19th and made a name for ourselves during our first year competing here," said Beetz. "I put forth the same effort of determination, motivation and guidance I initiate on a daily basis at Coty Inc. to help push the Mannheimer Ruder Club further."

In his five years as chief executive officer, Beetz has led Coty Inc. to become the largest fragrance company in the world by driving acquisitions, forging new partnerships and developing line extensions that have produced double-digit sales growth and doubled profitability. In the company's 2006 fiscal year alone, Coty experienced a 38 percent sales growth.

Beetz has worked to strengthen Coty's brand portfolio to include 40 different brands in the designer, celebrity and lifestyle categories. This growth occurred through licensing deals with iconic celebrities and well-known lifestyle brands, including Celine Dion, David and Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Minogue, Sarah Jessica Parker, Shania Twain, Davidoff, Nautica and Phat Farm. Beetz drove the acquisition of the Kenneth Cole and Marc Jacobs brands and attained Unilever's prestige fragrance business, adding the notable brands Calvin Klein, Cerutti, Chloe and Vera Wang to Coty's distinguished portfolio.

About the Head Of The Charles(R) Regatta

Attracting more than 250,000 spectators, the Head Of The Charles(R) Regatta is the world's largest and most prestigious two-day rowing event. In 2006, more than 8,200 athletes from 600 universities, schools and rowing clubs representing 16 countries will compete in 55 different race events on the Charles River in Cambridge, Mass.

For additional information about the Head Of The Charles(R) Regatta, please visit http://www.hocr.org/

About Coty Inc.

Coty was created in Paris in 1904 by Francois Coty who is credited with founding the modern fragrance industry. Coty Inc. delivers innovative products to consumers in 91 markets worldwide.

Today, Coty Inc. is the world's largest fragrance company and a recognized leader in global beauty with annual net sales of $2.9 billion. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, passion, innovation and creativity, Coty Inc. has developed an unrivaled portfolio of over 35 designer, celebrity and lifestyle brands.

The Coty Prestige brand portfolio is distributed in prestige and ultra- prestige stores and includes designer brands -- Calvin Klein, Cerruti, Chloe, Jette Joop, Jil Sander, JOOP!, Kenneth Cole, Marc Jacobs, Nikos, Vera Wang and Vivienne Westwood; celebrity brands -- Desperate Housewives, Jennifer Lopez and Sarah Jessica Parker; and lifestyle brands -- Chopard, Davidoff, Lancaster, Nautica and Phat Farm.

The Coty Beauty brand portfolio is more widely distributed and includes designer brand -- Pierre Cardin*; celebrity brands -- Celine Dion, David and Victoria Beckham, Isabella Rossellini, Kylie Minogue, mary-kateandashley and Shania Twain; and lifestyle brands -- adidas, Aspen, Astor, Calgon, Chupa Chups, Esprit, Exclamation, Jovan, Miss Sixty, Miss Sporty, Rimmel, Stetson, the healing garden and Vanilla Fields. For additional information about Coty Inc., please visit http://www.coty.com/.

* European license only.