Plano-based European Wax Center Inc. announced that Thomas “Tom” Kim has been appointed chief financial officer, effective April 7, succeeding Stacie Shirley, who will leave the CFO role when Kim joins the company.

European Wax Center, the leading franchisor and operator of out-of-home waxing services in the United States, said Shirley will remain with the company as a strategic adviser through April 30.

CEO Chris Morris called Kim “a proven chief financial officer with a wealth of franchise and financial transformation experience that will be instrumental in strengthening our financial foundation as we work to reignite long-term growth.” 

“I would also like to thank Stacie for her contributions to European Wax Center as well as her commitment to ensuring a smooth transition,” Morris added in a statement. “She’s been an invaluable resource during my onboarding, and I wish her continued success in all her endeavors.”

Finance and development expertise

The company said that Kim brings more than a decade of executive-level finance, corporate development, and business strategy experience across high-growth consumer, technology, and franchise brands to European Wax Center. Most recently, he served as CFO at Brinks Home, where he helped that company increase recurring revenues, return to strong customer retention levels, and achieve higher profitability and cash flows.

Before Brinks Home, Kim was CFO at Smoothie King, where he played a pivotal role in transforming one of the most recognized global franchisors in the health and wellness industry. Kim will report to European Wax Center’s CEO Chris Morris and work alongside the executive team to execute the company’s strategy to return the business to long-term, sustainable growth.

“Stacie has played a vital role in supporting the Company through several key milestones and strategic initiatives that have built the foundation for our path forward,” Board member David Berg said in a statement. “On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Stacie for her leadership and unwavering commitment to European Wax Center over the last two years.”

Shirley said she expects a smooth transition.

“It’s been a pleasure to serve as European Wax Center’s CFO, and I am confident that Tom has the right skill set and experience to work alongside Chris to execute our priorities and unlock value for our stakeholders,” Shirley said. “His leadership will be instrumental in driving the next phase of growth, and I look forward to working with him to support a smooth transition.”

Other C-suite moves

European Wax Center also announced that Katie Mullen has been appointed chief commercial officer and will lead European Wax Center’s marketing transformation, data insights, and guest acquisition efforts. Mullen has nearly two decades of consumer, retail, and leadership experience, having served as chief customer officer at Plano-based JCPenney and chief digital officer at Neiman Marcus Group.

Also, Chris Andrews will join European Wax Center as chief Information and digital officer, effective March 31. In this newly created role, Andrews will lead European Wax Center’s digital transformation, working closely with Mullen. He brings more than two decades of experience leading technology and data functions, including at franchise and growth companies, and most recently served as chief information officer at Unleashed Brands, a leading youth enrichment growth-focused platform and franchisor of category-leading brands.

“We’re also excited to be bolstering our leadership team and further strengthening our capabilities with the additions of Katie and Chris, who together will drive our marketing and digital transformations,” Morris said. “We are building a deep bench of seasoned executives with the expertise and experience needed to capitalize on our opportunities and return our business to sustainable, long-term growth.”

European Wax Center Inc. locations perform more than 23 million services per year, providing guests with a professional personal care experience administered by highly trained wax specialists within the privacy of clean, individual waxing suites.

The company was founded in 2004 and its network, which includes more than 1,000 centers in 45 states, generated sales of $955 million in fiscal 2023.

Don’t miss what’s next. Subscribe to Dallas Innovates.

Track Dallas-Fort Worth’s business and innovation landscape with our curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday.