Jane Lauder, a prominent figure in the beauty industry and granddaughter of Estée Lauder, is set to depart from the family-run company, marking a significant shift in the leadership landscape of the renowned cosmetics brand. This news follows the recent announcement that Fabrizio Freda, the current CEO of Estée Lauder, will retire at the end of the 2025 financial year.
Lauder’s exit from the company comes as Estée Lauder is undergoing a leadership transformation. She had been considered a potential successor to Freda, but in a recent internal memo, she confirmed her decision to leave her role while remaining on the board of directors.
Jane Lauder has been with Estée Lauder since 1996, holding various senior leadership positions within the company. In 2020, she was appointed as the first executive vice president of enterprise marketing and chief data officer, where she played a crucial role in shaping the company’s marketing strategies. Prior to this, she held significant roles in other Estée Lauder brands, including Clinique, Origins, and Darphin.
The announcement of Lauder’s departure was first reported by the fashion trade outlet WWD, and while Estée Lauder confirmed the news, the company has opted not to issue an official statement regarding the transition.
This leadership change comes in the wake of Estée Lauder’s recent financial struggles, with the company reporting a 2% decrease in organic sales for the fiscal year ending in June. The decline has been attributed to ongoing challenges in the Chinese market, which Freda described as a significant factor affecting the company’s sales and profit outlook for the upcoming financial year.
In her internal communication, Lauder expressed her commitment to supporting the company during this transitional phase. She stated, “The company is embarking on a necessary and fundamental turnaround. I have thought about how I can be most effective in helping the company reclaim its rightful position as the world’s leader in prestige beauty and restore long-term shareholder value.” Lauder also mentioned that she would continue to serve as an advisor to the CEO in the coming months.
Jane Lauder is not the only member of her family to have held leadership roles within Estée Lauder. Her cousin, William Lauder, stepped down as CEO in 2009 but continued to serve as the company’s executive chairman. Additionally, her sister, Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer, has had a long tenure at the company before launching her own luxury lifestyle brand, Aerin.
The ongoing leadership changes at Estée Lauder come at a critical time as the company seeks to navigate the challenges of the beauty industry and adapt to shifting consumer preferences. As the brand looks to the future, the focus will be on finding a suitable successor for Freda and revitalizing its market position.
With Jane Lauder’s departure, Estée Lauder faces a pivotal moment in its history, as it aims to continue the legacy established by its founder while also adapting to the evolving landscape of the beauty market.
As the company moves forward, stakeholders will be closely monitoring the developments surrounding the CEO succession and the strategic direction that Estée Lauder will take in the coming years.
