Full Name
Melanie Bender
Job Title
President
Company
Versed
Speaker Bio
Melanie Bender, one of Fast Company's Most Creative People, is Founding President of VERSED.
Ms. Bender combines community-driven development with hyper-growth management and an ambition to ensure that VERSED is leading the charge for sustainability as well as making good skin and clean products accessible for all. She has been integral in all aspects of VERSED since pre-conception, including launching new products and expanding sustainability efforts. The brand debuted at Target in 2019 and has since expanded to Revolve, Dermstore, Urban Outfitters, and VersedSkin.com as well as Cult Beauty in the United Kingdom and Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada.
Ms. Bender’s experience spans two decades with purpose-driven brands. Prior to VERSED, she was Vice President of Marketing and Brand Development at Who What Wear, the fashion media and apparel brand that VERSED spunoff from. Earlier, she played a key role in Westfield's customer strategy, leading brand vision and marketing for a one-billion-dollar development, and helping incubate Westfield's Future of Retail initiative. She previously worked with Mana Products, a leading contract beauty manufacturer, and co-founded Post+Beam, a marketing consultancy helping brands reach millennials through emerging digital channels.
She graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a B.S. in global environmental science. She also has accreditation for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
Ms. Bender combines community-driven development with hyper-growth management and an ambition to ensure that VERSED is leading the charge for sustainability as well as making good skin and clean products accessible for all. She has been integral in all aspects of VERSED since pre-conception, including launching new products and expanding sustainability efforts. The brand debuted at Target in 2019 and has since expanded to Revolve, Dermstore, Urban Outfitters, and VersedSkin.com as well as Cult Beauty in the United Kingdom and Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada.
Ms. Bender’s experience spans two decades with purpose-driven brands. Prior to VERSED, she was Vice President of Marketing and Brand Development at Who What Wear, the fashion media and apparel brand that VERSED spunoff from. Earlier, she played a key role in Westfield's customer strategy, leading brand vision and marketing for a one-billion-dollar development, and helping incubate Westfield's Future of Retail initiative. She previously worked with Mana Products, a leading contract beauty manufacturer, and co-founded Post+Beam, a marketing consultancy helping brands reach millennials through emerging digital channels.
She graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a B.S. in global environmental science. She also has accreditation for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
