Stephen Moody
Confidential

What’s playing: ’80’s music. I keep listening to all my Echo and the Bunnymen, Mortal Coil, David Bowie.

Most recent indulgence: I just bought a BMW R 400.

Free-time pursuits: I have three children—a 15 year old and 9-year-old twins. The spare time I have is spent with them, reminding them that I’m their Dad. I will wedge in any time extra on my motorcycle and I love to take them with me.

Role model: I was very close to Vidal. I loved him.

Stephen Moody joins P&G Salon Professional as Global Education Academy Dean.

"My family is from the north of England, a very blue collar, industrial area,” says Stephen Moody recently named P&G Salon Professional Global Education Academy Dean. “My mother dabbled in hairdressing— razors, roller sets, teasing, updos— and opened a small hair salon in the front room of our house. She gave birth to me upstairs—above the hair salon.”

The Education Begins

Moody’s mother had sought out Vidal Sassoon as a teacher and mentor. What she learned improved her business, and she suggested that Sassoon “open an academy to teach other people about cutting hair.” Her son would later be International Executive Director of Sassoon Academies but first he learned the Sassoon way.

“My mindset was that this really made a difference to my family and there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be part of this business called hair and if they would have me I wanted to work at Sassoon. To me, looking from the outside in, Sassoon was Harvard. I took a course there and was asked to work for the company. November 11, 1980 was my start date in the Apprentice program and I began to learn my craft in London. Then, I became a stylist and worked in a Sassoon salon and did my obligatory 12 months. As soon as I was able, I transferred from the salon division to the Vidal Sassoon Academies. In 1982 I went into teacher training and began sharing my craft.”

Eventually promoted to running the Creative Academy in London’s Queen’s Street, Moody felt America calling. He took over operations of the only U.S. Sassoon Academy in Santa Monica, California. Business was suffering but eventually Moody, “working with some very talented people,” revived it and went on to open other academies in Toronto, San Francisco, Miami Beach and Chicago.

America didn’t let him rest: He took on the role of International Executive Director of Sassoon Academies, he created “abc: Cutting Hair the Sassoon Way” and pioneered the School Connection program, an outreach program to cosmetology schools.

Going Global

“At the same time all this is happening I have a solid relationship with P&G because during all of my 32 years with Sassoon, P&G has owned the brand name Vidal Sassoon,” says Moody. “I’ve worked on developing and launching Vidal Sassoon retail products which were very prominent in the U.S. in the ’80s. I used Wella color in our salons and academies, and at shows and seminars when I traveled as a Wella guest artist.

“I want to position hairdressers as middle, front and center and to raise the standards of hairdressing. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense to join P&G Salon Professionals.

“I’m thrilled with the opportunity to take on this global role and to be working to build a network to reach the beauty professionals who are hungry for education. I want to be able to help them with their careers just as Vidal helped my Mum.”