Background
Dan was born in Valencia, Venezuela, Bethelmy-Rada moved with his family to the United States at five years old, landing in Miami, Oklahoma, and eventually making his way to Washington, D.C.
Dan was born in Valencia, Venezuela, Bethelmy-Rada moved with his family to the United States at five years old, landing in Miami, Oklahoma, and eventually making his way to Washington, D.C.
Born to native Venezuelan parents who were both university professors, Bethelmy-Rada was always interested in continuing education and participated in a student exchange program through American Field Service at age 17. To gain credits through the AFS program, Bethelmy-Rada participated in a number of charitable initiatives, tutoring in an orphanage in Venezuela, and volunteering with elderly residents in a local senior home. After a year in the charity program, he graduated at the very top of his class allowing him to choose his study-abroad location from anywhere in the world. France was at the top of his list.
In preparation, Bethelmy-Rada spent the next six months strenuously studying French every day for hours while finishing high school classes before moving to France to live with his host family. Now a successful leader at an international company, Bethelmy-Rada looks back at this time as a formative experience – alone in a foreign country, working to adapt to the language and culture around him, forming social bonds, and expanding horizons. At 17 years old, France opened up a new world of opportunity outside of the United States and Venezuela, and he continued on this path of self-discovery. A year back in Venezuela allowed Bethelmy-Rada to graduate high school before heading back to Paris for collegiate studies.
Bethelmy-Rada studied for two years at the Paris XIII University, focused on Foreign Applied Languages and Economics. After two years, Bethelmy-Rada continued studies at the esteemed Paris I Sorbonne Pantheon, studying International Business and earning a degree from the most prestigious public university in France. Bethelmy-Rada continued on this track, going on to earn a Masters Degree in International Business from ESSEC Business School, one of the top-performing higher education private schools in Europe. During his studies, Bethelmy-Rada held a number of internships at prestigious companies, acquiring real-world skills to apply in international business: Renault, an automobile company in France; the Venezuelan Embassy in Paris; LaSCAD, a cosmetics distribution company under the L’Oréal umbrella; and, eventually, with L’Oréal Paris, where he was thereafter hired for a full-time position.
In 2005, straight out of business school, Bethelmy-Rada was hired by the L’Oréal Group as a Director for Garnier International, where he oversaw creative projects for the brand in the new products division. Leading product development for everything under Fructis, Bethelmy-Rada owned the process, from ideas to conception, research, formulas, and packaging. Under his direction, the Oil Repair line was conceived and, even today remains a pillar of trusted products from the brand. Bethelmy-Rada eventually moved into skincare territory with Garnier and started developing new products outside of haircare. In this tenure, Garnier was named the number one antibacterial brand in Europe – a huge accomplishment for Bethelmy-Rada and his team. In 2011, he was appointed VP of Global Marketing with L’Oréal Paris (the parent company of Garnier) and spent the next three years defining a “three-year innovation and expansion” plan, leading digital and advertising strategy for hair care and styling brands worldwide: L’Oréal’s Elseve/Elvive, Hair Expertise, StudioLine, and Elnett.
Named the Deputy General Manager for Garnier International in the L’Oréal Consumer Products Division in 2014, Bethelmy-Rada expanded his scope of duties and was appointed to lead the development of creative teams around the world in the U.S., Brazil, Russia, India, and ASEAN. He brought on brand initiatives that included innovation plans for the global industry throughout the next two years. In 2015, the culmination of experience and hard work opened the door for Bethelmy-Rada to be appointed Global Brand President representing Matrix and Biology through the L’Oréal Professional Products Division. He was one of the youngest appointees to the position in its history at only 36 years old. This new position led Bethelmy-Rada and his family to New York City.
Bethelmy-Rada is a member of OUT @ L’Oréal, an organization that celebrates the LBGTQ+ community and promotes inclusivity. Also a frequent contributor and speaker at universities, Bethelmy-Rada represents the brand in the L’Oréal Seminar, participating recently on diversity and inclusion seminar at the Harvard Kennedy School.
Bethelmy-Rada is an avid photographer and has long been inspired by his lifetime of travel, citing the thrill of finding beauty in underestimated subjects as one of his greatest passions. He brings this passion into his professional life, where the importance of photography takes on new weight for digital marketers in the age of social media. The lines blur at the intersections between life experience and travel continued studies and professional accomplishments, and Bethelmy-Rada’s noteworthy ascension through L’Oréal is a testament to the culmination of this unique experience.
Bethelmy-Rada met his current husband, Nicolas, in 2005. They got married in Paris and are currently in the process of adopting.