Agnes Chapski, the former executive vice-president of international beauty industry association Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW), has sued the organisation and four of its senior executives for wrongful dismissal.
The lawsuit, filed last month in New York, claims Chapski’s dismissal on 13 May via video call was in retaliation for objecting to, and refusing to participate in, alleged practices she believed were in violation of law, rules and/or regulations.
In addition to the CEW, president Carlotta Jacobson, chairwoman Jill Scalamandre, vice-chairwoman Heidi Manheimer, and chief operating and financial officer Claudia Flowers are named as defendants in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that Flowers revealed to Chapski that Jacobson, who has been in her position for 40 years, “had directed CEW over the years to conceal her salary of over $500,000 in order to misrepresent her income so she could remain in her income-restricted, rent-controlled apartment on the Upper East Side.”
According to the suit, Chapski contacted vice-chair Manheimer on 24 April to report her concerns about Jacobson, including the fiscal mismanagement of CEW that Jacobson allegedly fostered.
The lawsuit also alleges that Chapski objected to unlawful employment actions demanded by Jacobson. Chapski claims in the suit that she refused to terminate people targeted by Jacobson for unlawful reasons.
Chapski, who held the position of CEW executive vice-president, business strategy and growth officer since November 2023, spent 18 years at Condé Nast in roles such as publisher and chief revenue officer of Allure.
She later founded Agnes Chapski Consulting serving clients in media, beauty, fashion, and the wellness industries, including CEW.
Chapski is also seeking damages as a result of winding down her consulting business prior to 1 July, when – the lawsuit alleges - she was due to formally begin the transition to take over Jacobson’s day-to-day responsibilities to succeed her as president.
CEW is a networking group for professional women in the beauty industry with over 10,000 members worldwide.
CEW has been approached for comment.
