Show notes
With over two decades of experience in the skincare and beauty industry, Tara specializes in building brands that move culture. Her work lives at the intersection of science, storytelling, and soul, and it is always anchored in results.
She specializes in grit. Her dad is a third-generation pistachio grower in California, and that blend of artful curiosity, beauty, and serious hard work runs deep in her DNA. Today, as the Global President of Dermatological Skincare at Galderma (Cetaphil, Differin, Alastin, Benzac), she brings that same grounded tenacity to leading a portfolio of globally loved brands. She focuses on driving impact through innovation, advocacy, and breakthrough marketing.
A California native now living in Switzerland, after a few unforgettable years in Paris, she brings a global perspective to brand-building. Her approach blends sharp market insight with emotional nuance and deep respect for local culture.
She works closely with healthcare professionals to deliver superior outcomes that build trust, create value, and honor the deeply personal nature of skincare. Before joining Galderma, she led transformative work at iconic companies including Kendo Brands (LVMH), Too Faced, and Pierre Fabre, launching breakthrough campaigns and fueling growth across global markets.
At her core, she is a builder. She thrives on mentoring future change makers, fostering collaboration, and creating bold, lasting brand value through curiosity, clarity, and purpose.
She is also a frequent speaker and podcast guest, passionate about sharing insights on beauty, leadership, and brand-building at the intersection of science and soul.
Val Vacante is an award-winning, creative catalyst and global innovator. As the SVP of Solutions Innovation at Dentsu, she uncovers cultural trends, commerce dynamics, and emerging technologies to shape next-generation product innovations, and solutions impacting the way people connect in the physical and digital world.
Val is the product lead and innovator behind the Meta Global Messaging Alliance and Intelligent Messaging, Dentsu's first-of-its-kind full suite of end-to-end messaging innovations designed to accelerate 1:1 conversational messaging, AI-amplified assistance, and human connection – showcased at CES, SXSW, Cosmoprofs and featured in Digiday, MediaPost, Retail Brew and more.
She is the co-creator behind Dentsu NXT Space, a co-space for rapidly realizing the future of AI, 3D spatial environments, and everyday technology in collaboration with Microsoft, LinkedIn and HeadOffice.space featured in PSFK’s, “Best of CES,” Forbes, Fast Company, Digiday, Coindesk and more.
Val is also the co-creator of ShopNXT™ — Dentsu’s retail innovations focused on helping brands create more personalized shopping experiences increasing loyalty, sales, and customer joy. The ShopNXT suite of products has been named top product picks at CES by PCR Magazine featured in CNET, The Drum, PSFK, eMarketer, MediaPost, PCR among others.
Additionally, Val architected and launched NXT Intelligence™ an innovation platform featuring 12 technology, innovation, and brand solutions designed to rapidly explore, evaluate and evolve business growth opportunities. Her latest work focuses on connected experiences, emerging technologies, gaming, retail and play.
She is also the Founder of the strategy and innovation firm Collabsco; where she pioneered award-winning digital products and connected experiences across IoT, AR, VR, voice, robotics, and the first connected play landscape featured in VentureBeat, The Drum, VRScout, and more.
Her portfolio includes over 50+ brands including Microsoft, Hasbro, Mattel, Disney, Bandai Namco Entertainment, PepsiCo, P&G, Nestlé, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Galderma, AT&T, Vodafone, Honeywell, Sleep Number, Dell, MERGE, WowWee and Virsix Games, among others.
Val has been named one of the Top 25 Women in Tech by PCR magazine and Women in Tech Global Product Management Leader of the Year.
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
Stay Connected
