It isn't noticeable in the orderly lobby of the company's hushed Tokyo headquarters, a striking sanctuary of creamy leather, polished woods and the airy tranquility of traditional Japanese design. But beyond the fleet of uniformed receptionists, a transformation is occurring, led by president and chief executive officer Shinzo Maeda, a 37-year company veteran who took charge of the historic Japanese beauty company in 2005 and immediately ushered in an era of reform.

The movements thus far have been relatively quiet, at least to outsiders, and directed mainly at Shiseido's domestic business, where the 135-year-old company - the longtime leader of Japan's $13 billion beauty industry, where it commands a 17.5 percent market share - has faced increasing competition from both local and foreign brands in a very saturated market. But now, Maeda is turning his focus to advancing Shiseido's international presence with the help of Carsten Fischer, a well-respected German with a strong beauty background as a former executive at Wella and Procter & Gamble. As of January, Fischer - who as corporate executive officer is the most senior foreign employee in Shiseido history - assumed responsibility for the company's operations in the U.S., Europe and much of Asia. In Ooctober, he'll begin overseeing Shiseido's professional division and in January, he will take the lead for what is quickly becoming the company's most important foreign market - China.

There are a lot of eyes watching these changes, which hasn't always made things easy. Maeda has faced opposition and skepticism - both internal and external - for some of his domestic initiatives thus far, including abolishing sales quotas for in-store beauty consultants and discontinuing long-established brands while creating new "megabrands" that are better positioned to become lucrative category leaders. So far, he's silenced critics with a record of results: The company, which has just completed year two of a three-year plan called "Growth and Advancement," has seen annual sales rise to about $6 billion and share prices reach an unprecedented high since Maeda stepped in.