# Leana Less

> Leana Less is a global marketing leader who in 2024 became the first-ever Chief Marketing Officer in the 111-year history of Bealls, Inc., the family-owned Florida off-price retailer. A South African who built a 27-year career spanning MediaCom Africa, nearly 13 years at The Coca-Cola Company, global consumer marketing at Estee Lauder's Aveda, and a marketing transformation at Chico's FAS, she is known for turning marketing from a cost center into a growth engine across brand, ecommerce and loyalty. She describes herself as 'an activator' who refuses to wait for the green light.

- **Role:** Chief Marketing Officer / SVP Marketing at Bealls, Inc.
- **Organizations:** Bealls, Inc., Chico's FAS, Estee Lauder Companies (Aveda), The Coca-Cola Company, MediaCom Africa
- **From:** South Africa
- **Nationality:** South African
- **Education:** Afrikaanse Hoer Meisieskool
- **Known for:** First Chief Marketing Officer in the 111-year history of Bealls, Inc., Led the marketing transformation to digital and data-led strategies at Chico's FAS, Drove ecommerce growth and brand expansion as head of global consumer marketing at Aveda (Estee Lauder)

## Career timeline

- **1990s** — Begins marketing career in the South African advertising industry
- **pre-2010s** — Director and board member at MediaCom Africa, leading new business and key CPG accounts including Coca-Cola Sub-Saharan Africa, P&G and Nokia South Africa
- **2000s-2010s** — Nearly 13 years at The Coca-Cola Company, including roles as Director Media Eurasia & Africa, Connections Director, and Global VP Connections & Media; assignments in Istanbul, Dubai and Atlanta
- **2018** — Joins Estee Lauder Companies as Head/VP of Global Consumer Marketing (Aveda)
- **2022** — Appointed SVP of Marketing at Chico's FAS (August), leading a digital and data-led marketing transformation
- **2024** — Named CMO / SVP Marketing at Bealls, Inc. - the first CMO in the company's 111-year history

## Achievements

- First Chief Marketing Officer in the 111-year history of Bealls, Inc.
- Led the marketing transformation to digital and data-led strategies at Chico's FAS
- Drove ecommerce growth and brand expansion as head of global consumer marketing at Aveda (Estee Lauder)
- Developed a 5-year digital transformation strategy at Coca-Cola, managing roughly 700 agency partners across 200 countries
- Built a 27-year global marketing career spanning beauty, CPG, tech and personal care

## Latest updates

- **2024-06** — Appointed CMO / SVP Marketing at Bealls, Inc., the first CMO in the company's history
- **2025** — Featured on MediaPost's Brand Insider podcast and as an opening keynote speaker at the MediaPost Retail Summit in Scottsdale

## Links

- Website: https://beallsinc.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/leana-less-6b39672a
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep9UrYcAgaQ

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/leana-less
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-25