Staff and wire report

Procter & Gamble Co will move its skin care, cosmetics and personal-care headquarters from Ohio to Singapore to be closer to the growing Asian market, and the president of the group will leave rather than move.

The change announced Thursday is expected to affect no more than 20 positions, according to spokesman Paul Fox.

The relocation, which is expected to take two years, comes as P&G wants to run the business out of Asia, where it sees the biggest growth opportunity. It was announced less than three months after P&G unveiled a restructuring plan aimed at saving $10 billion and helping the world’s largest household products maker expand faster in emerging markets.

Cincinnati-based P&G’s brands include CoverGirl makeup, Olay and SK-II skin-care products and Secret deodorant.

Virginia Drosos, the global president of beauty, skin, cosmetics and personal care, was the architect behind the move but elected not to move herself because it was in the best interest of her two teenage children and husband, according to a P&G spokesman. Drosos, 49, has been with P&G since 1987.

Deb Henretta, group president of P&G’s Asia and global specialty channel, will take over as group president, the company said.