2 weeks Ago
An Ulta Beauty story in Port St Lucie, FL Since joining Ulta Beauty in June 2023 as Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO), Mike Maresca has been at the forefront of blending cutting-edge technology with the retailer’s customer-centric approach. Ulta Beauty, a $11 billion retailer, has become a leader in the beauty and wellness industry, with over 1,400 stores and a thriving online business generating over $2 billion in sales. Maresca's role is pivotal in shaping the company's digital transformation, aligning technology to serve both the business and its customers.
"At Ulta Beauty, we are passionate about delivering an exceptional customer experience, whether it's online or in our stores," Maresca explained. "Our strategy revolves around putting the guest at the center of everything we do. We're building a forward-looking technology roadmap that not only drives innovation but also ensures we're running a more effective retailer.
" A Strategy Centered on Growth and Customer Experience Maresca’s focus is clear: to accelerate Ulta Beauty’s growth through a six-part technology strategy that integrates digital transformation, agility, and scalability. This ambitious approach is designed to support the company’s continued expansion, including its recent announcement to open stores in Mexico by 2025. Ulta Beauty Chief Technology and Information Officer Mike Maresca "Our goal is to deliver a unique guest experience by unlocking value through a business-led, tech-enabled strategy," said Maresca.
"We’ve implemented cloud technologies and built a resilient network, allowing us to scale at the speed required by our business. This agility is crucial as we modernize our tech stack, retire technical debt, and shift to a cloud-first organization." Ulta Beauty’s multi-cloud approach, leveraging both Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure, gives the company the resiliency and scale needed to operate across its vast ecosystem.
"Running close to 60% of our workloads in the cloud allows us to tap into capabilities that would be cost prohibitive to replicate on our own,” noted Maresca. “The on-demand services that come with this approach are very attractive and allow us to meet customer needs faster." Enhancing the Guest Experience with Data and Personalization Maresca emphasizes the importance of data in Ulta Beauty’s growth.
With nearly 1,500 stores and 44 million loyalty members, the company generates massive amounts of what he refers to as "digital exhaust" – data that provides valuable insights into customer behaviors and preferences. "Our new modern data platform, which we completed in August, centralizes all of this data,” Maresca emphasized. “Now we can use these insights to drive hyper-personalization and meet our guests where they are.
” One standout example of this personalization is Ulta Beauty’s virtual try-on tool, known as Glam Lab. "Guests can scan their faces and try on different beauty products from the comfort of their own homes,” Maresca underscored. “It's a powerful way to engage customers who may not be able to visit a store physically, and it meets their needs in a highly personalized way.
" The use of generative AI has also helped enhance Ulta Beauty’s personalization efforts. Partnering with Adobe, the company creates personalized content at scale for its customers, allowing for more tailored product recommendations. "Generative AI is really driving our personalization journey.
It’s also improving productivity by around 30%, thanks to tools like Microsoft Copilot," said Maresca. "We’re excited about where this technology can take us in terms of creating even more meaningful customer interactions." Transforming Ulta Beauty’s Ways of Working Maresca is equally committed to evolving the internal operations at Ulta Beauty.
He and his team of 225 IT professionals have embraced agile methodologies and a product-centric approach to align closely with the needs of the business. This shift has allowed Ulta to deliver major programs like the implementation of SAP S/4HANA, a data modernization effort, and the replacement of the company's digital store platform—initiatives that most companies would take on one at a time. "Completing all three of these programs last quarter was a huge accomplishment.
It was a testament to how we’ve adopted agile methods and fusion teams, where business, product, and IT work closely together," Maresca noted. "We’ve changed the way teams work, and it’s created a more flexible, innovative culture at Ulta. It’s the magic that happens when you get proximate to the business.
" To support this new way of working, Ulta has invested heavily in talent development. The creation of Ulta University provides team members with the opportunity to learn new skills in data, agile methods, and modern technology architectures. "It’s not just about training, but also about creating the time and space for our team to grow," Maresca said.
"We’ve built a culture of learning that’s empowering our employees to build new careers and drive innovation within the company." The Future of Innovation at Ulta Beauty Looking ahead, Maresca is focused on continuing Ulta Beauty’s journey of innovation, particularly in areas like automation, AI, and augmented reality (AR). In the company’s distribution centers, robots assist with picking and staging, increasing efficiency during peak seasons.
Maresca is also exploring the potential of hyper-personalization, AR, and VR to further enhance the customer experience. "Innovation is at the heart of what we do," Maresca said. "Whether it’s through digital experiences, hyper-personalization, or automation in our stores, we’re constantly looking for ways to serve our guests better.
We’re energized by the possibilities, and we’re committed to staying ahead of the curve." Under Maresca’s leadership, Ulta Beauty is positioning itself not only as a leader in the beauty industry but also as a company that leverages technology to drive business growth and customer satisfaction. With his clear vision and dedication to innovation, Maresca is helping Ulta Beauty create a future where technology and beauty seamlessly intersect.
Peter High is President of Metis Strategy , a business and IT advisory firm. He has written three bestselling books, including his latest Getting to Nimble . He also moderates the Technovation podcast series and speaks at conferences around the world.
Follow him on Twitter @PeterAHigh ..
