Pandora Names André Branch President of North America

By Sam Cooley | August 04, 2026

Pandora has appointed André Branch as president of its operations in North America, handing the beauty and consumer goods executive responsibility for one of its largest and most important markets.

Based in New York, Branch is set to assume the role on Aug. 15. He succeeds Luciano Rodembusch, who departed in February, leaving the seat vacant for roughly six months.

No stranger to the jewelry industry, Branch arrives at Pandora after serving on the board of directors of Signet Jewelers from 2021 to July 2026—a role he resigned from last month. (Signet said in a securities filing that the resignation was not due to any disagreement with the company over its operations, policies, or practices.)

Branch has spent most of his career working in global consumer, beauty, and lifestyle brands, with more than 25 years of experience across the sector. He joins Pandora from the CEO post at R.E.M. Beauty, the cosmetics brand founded by Ariana Grande, and earlier held senior leadership roles in North America and Europe at Estée Lauder, L’Oréal, Diageo, and Kraft Heinz.

Pandora’s announcement of the hire is framed as part of a broader push to reaccelerate its operations in North America.

“André is a highly accomplished commercial leader with a strong track record of driving growth across global consumer businesses,” said Massimo Basei, chief commercial officer at Pandora. “His ability to combine strategic clarity with disciplined execution makes him exactly the right person to lead our North America business and drive the next phase of growth in the region.”

Branch said he is committed to building on the brand’s existing position in North America.

“The region holds significant opportunities, and I look forward to working with the team to further strengthen execution, deepen customer relevance, and drive sustainable growth,” he asserted.

The business he inherits is one Pandora has described as being in a transition year. President and CEO Berta de Pablos-Barbier told analysts in May that 2026 is about shifting gears on design, brand, and market. Stronger comparable growth is expected in 2027. In the first quarter, North American like-for-like sales fell 2%, a decline the company attributed to weaker consumer sentiment, while Asia-Pacific grew 12% and Latin America 6%. (Like-for-like sales is a measure of sales at existing stores, excluding new openings and closures.)

Branch is set to take over a region critical to Pandora’s business: The company told Reuters in 2025 that it employs 8,000 people in the United States; close to a fifth of its global workforce.

(Photo courtesy of Pandora)