Coty details Laurent Mercier’s CFO transition and advisory pay

Coty disclosed the employment and compensation arrangements for former Chief Financial Officer Laurent Mercier in a Form 8-K filed Friday, September 11. In connection with the previously announced appointment of Soraya Benchikh as CFO, Mercier ceased serving as finance chief on September 1, 2026, and began serving as Strategic CEO Advisor. His advisory term runs through June 30, 2027, under a transition agreement with the company (Form 8-K AccNo 0001024305-26-000054).

CFO transition and Strategic CEO Advisor role

The filing adds detail about the handover at the NYSE-listed beauty company, including how Mercier’s responsibilities and compensation will change over the transition period. He will assist with the transfer of his responsibilities during September and October 2026. Beginning November 1, he will be released from active duties while remaining available for transition-related advisory services. The distinction matters when reading the end date: the stated advisory term extends beyond the period of active handover duties.

Transition Agreement compensation terms

Mercier will continue receiving his annual base salary of €825,000 for advisory services through the transition end date. That figure is an annual salary rate, rather than a disclosed total payment for the transition. He can elect to bring forward the end date, but no earlier than December 20, 2026. If he does so, he would receive a lump-sum payment equal to the salary otherwise payable through June 30, 2027.

Duties schedule and optional acceleration

The agreement also provides for a fixed one-time bonus of €290,000. Apart from that payment, Mercier will not be eligible for an annual bonus or variable compensation for fiscal years 2026 or 2027. Equity awards scheduled to vest in October 2026 remain eligible to vest according to their terms. Any awards still unvested after the transition end date will be forfeited. The filing’s description does not supply share counts or values for those awards.

Equity, non-compete, and severance

After the transition ends, Mercier will be subject to a twelve-month non-competition covenant and entitled to the related contractual payments. He will also be entitled to applicable contractual and collective bargaining severance benefits. The description does not quantify those payments or benefits, so the two stated euro amounts do not establish the full value of his arrangements. Investors reviewing executive compensation will need the remaining contractual detail to assess the package more fully.

What remains undisclosed

Coty said the description is qualified in its entirety by the transition agreement, which it will file as an exhibit to its Form 10-Q for the period ending September 30, 2026. That agreement is not attached to this 8-K. The only exhibit listed under Item 9.01 is Exhibit 104, the cover-page interactive data file embedded in the Inline XBRL document. The Friday filing therefore provides a summary of the transition terms, with the underlying agreement still to follow.