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The Last Lauder

Jane, an ELC exec and a runner-up to replace departing C.E.O. Fabrizio Freda, has announced she’s stepping back from the company her grandmother built, along with her cousin William Lauder. How will this notably un-familial succession drama, and the new reign of Stéphane de La Faverie, scramble the company the Lauders are leaving?

Jane Lauder
Many believed Jane would be Lauder’s next C.E.O, until of course, it became clear that she wouldn’t be. Photo: Patrick McMullan/Getty Images
Rachel Strugatz
October 30, 2024

The conclusion of the C.E.O. succession drama at The Estée Lauder Companies, and the end of another dismal quarter, arrived with a major plot twist this week: Jane Lauder, once heiress apparent to the family-controlled dynasty, announced on Sunday that she’ll be stepping down as chief data officer and executive vice president of enterprise marketing. (She’ll remain on the board.) On Wednesday, word came that William Lauder, Jane’s cousin and chairman emeritus Leonard’s son, would give up his executive chairman seat after the annual stockholder meeting on November 8 (he’ll remain chair of the board of directors)—which likely means that Jane, the granddaughter of Estée, herself, will assume the role.