Cosmetics industry icon Leonard A Lauder no more

The Estée Lauder Companies has said that Chairman Emeritus Leonard A. Lauder passed away on June 14, at the age of 92, surrounded by family.

Lauder was born in 1933 in New York City, the oldest son of Estée and Joseph H. Lauder, the founders of The Estée Lauder Companies. He was a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, and the Officer Candidate School of the United States Navy. Mr. Lauder studied at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. He served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and as a Navy reservist, for which the U.S. Navy Supply Corps Foundation later recognized him with its Distinguished Alumni Award. He formally joined Estée Lauder in 1958, and for more than six decades, Mr. Lauder was a visionary and an innovator, helping transform the business from a handful of products sold under a single brand in U.S. stores to the multi-brand, global leader in prestige beauty that it is today.

“Throughout his life, my father worked tirelessly to build and transform the beauty industry, pioneering many of the innovations, trends, and best practices that are foundational to the industry today,” said William P. Lauder, son and Chair, Board of Directors, The Estée Lauder Companies. “He was the most charitable man I have ever known, believing that art and education belonged to everyone, and championing the fight against diseases such as Alzheimer’s and breast cancer. Above all, my father was a man who practiced kindness with everyone he met. His impact was enormous. He believed that employees were the heart and soul of our company, and they adored him and moments spent with him. His warmth and thoughtfulness made an imprint on our company, the industry, and, of course, our family. Together with my family, The Estée Lauder Companies, and the countless people he touched, we celebrate his extraordinary life.”

Lauder served as President of The Estée Lauder Companies from 1972 to 1995 and as Chief Executive Officer from 1982 through 1999. He was named Chairman in 1995 and served in that role through June 2009. Throughout his tenure at the company, Mr. Lauder consistently challenged the status quo, developing and implementing innovative sales and marketing programs that revolutionized the beauty industry. He created the company’s first research and development laboratory, brought in professional management at every level, and was the driving force behind The Estée Lauder Companies’ international expansion, helping to increase the company’s sales and profits exponentially.

A legendary brand builder, Lauder led the launch of many brands including Aramis, Clinique, and Lab Series, among others. Until his death, he remained deeply involved in the company’s acquisition strategy, including the acquisitions of Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Jo Malone London, La Mer, and M∙A∙C.

Speaking for The Estée Lauder Companies, President and Chief Executive Officer Stéphane de La Faverie said, “Leonard Lauder was beloved by many and will be missed tremendously. To our employees at The Estée Lauder Companies, he was an inspiration and a champion. To the industry, he was an icon and pioneer, earning respect worldwide. His energy and vision helped shape our company and will continue to do so for generations to come. He was a deeply compassionate leader who cared profoundly about every person in the company. I feel privileged to have worked with Leonard, who has been the best mentor I could have dreamt to learn from. He will be remembered by all of us.”

During his many years as Chairman Emeritus, Lauder was closely involved in the business and day-to-day operations of the company and was a constant fixture at The Estée Lauder Companies’ global headquarters in New York and at our stores and counters across the globe until the time of his death. Mr. Lauder believed that each of his colleagues was like a member of his family and treated them as such. The values that continue to set the company apart are the values he so strongly believed in and embodied, most notably generosity of spirit and kindness toward all. Perhaps the role Mr. Lauder was most proud of was the unofficial one as The Estée Lauder Companies’ “chief teaching officer.” He believed that a company’s wealth is its people and focused on mentoring and fostering growth within the company’s diverse talent pool. He believed strongly in the importance of recognition and gratitude and was a tireless advocate for employees. At the onset of the global pandemic in 2020, Mr. Lauder was instrumental in setting up the ELC Cares Employee Relief Fund to support the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of employees and their families.

He was deeply involved in medical research, education, art, foreign policy, and philanthropy, and the marks he made on those worlds were transformational.