Former Estée Lauder CEO Leonard Lauder has died at the age of 92, according to a company statement.
Lauder, who was the son of company founder Estée Lauder, died on Saturday. He most recently served as chairman emeritus on the board of The Estée Lauder Companies, after previously serving as president and CEO.
“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,” William P. Lauder said in a statement.
“Above all, my father was a man who practiced kindness with everyone he met. His impact was enormous.”
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Lauder served as president of Estée Lauder Companies from 1972 to 1995, before becoming CEO in 1982. He served in that position until 1999.
In a statement, the company said that 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,” the statement read.
Current Estée Lauder CEO Stéphane de La Faverie mourned the loss in a statement, saying that Lauder “was beloved by many and will be missed tremendously.”
“His energy and vision helped shape our company and will continue to do so for generations to come,” he added. “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.”
His mother, Estée Lauder, founded the company with her husband Joseph in 1946. The company owns several iconic beauty brands, including Tom Ford Beauty, Clinique and Jo Malone London.
During his tenure at the company, Lauder “led the launch of many brands including Aramis, Clinique, and Lab Series, among others,” his company said.
“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,” the statement added.
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