Jani Friedman - managing director

Jani has 20 years of brand development experience in beauty, apparel and packaged goods as a specialty retail executive and brand marketer.   Prior to joining Demeter Group, Jani was Vice President and Divisional Merchandise Manager of Skincare at Sephora.   Her main responsibilities included managing a team of merchants, cross-functional managers and more than 60 cosmeceutical, natural and haircare brands.   Prior to Sephora, Jani was a Divisional Merchandise Manager at Red Envelope and an Associate Brand Manager at Levi Strauss & Company. Her experience also includes co-founding a women’s luxury apparel brand in Barcelona as well as Freeborders Inc., a Product Lifecycle Management technology company for retail businesses.   She also has designed for Anne Klein, Victoria’s Secret Catalogue and Italian designer Enrico Coveri, which has provided her significant product development and international sourcing experience in China and Europe.  She graduated with a BS in Merchandising from Colorado State University and earned her MBA from Harvard Business School.   Jani currently sits on the board of Lead21, a non-profit policy and advocacy organization for entrepreneurship and innovation.