Leonard Lauder, who globalized family cosmetic business, dies at age 92

NEW YORK -- Leonard Lauder, a renowned philanthropist who expanded the household cosmetics concern into a worldwide empire, has died astatine the property of 92.

Estee Lauders Cos. announced the quality successful a merchandise connected Sunday and said helium died connected Saturday surrounded by family.

Lauder, the oldest lad of Estee and Joseph H. Lauder, who founded the institution successful 1946, formally joined the New York concern successful 1958. Over much than six decades, Lauder played a cardinal relation successful transforming the concern from a fistful of products sold nether a azygous marque successful U.S. stores to a multi-brand planetary giant. He had held the rubric of president emeritus astatine the clip of his death.

Estee Lauder's products are sold successful astir 150 countries and territories nether marque names including Clinique and Aveda, according to the company's latest yearly report. The institution generated income of astir $16 cardinal successful the fiscal twelvemonth ended June 30, 2024, the filing said.

Estee Lauder went nationalist successful 1995, but members of Lauder household inactive person astir 84% of the voting powerfulness of communal stock, according to the latest yearly filing.

Lauder served arsenic president of The Estée Lauder Cos. from 1972 to 1995 and arsenic CEO from 1982 done 1999. He was named president successful 1995 and served successful that relation done June 2009.

Under his stewardship, Lauder created the company’s archetypal probe and improvement laboratory, brought successful nonrecreational absorption astatine each level, and was the impetus down The Estée Lauder Cos.’ planetary expansion, helping to spearhead the company’s income and profits exponentially, according to the company.

Lauder led the motorboat of galore brands including Aramis, Clinique, and Lab Series, among others. Until his death, helium remained profoundly progressive successful the company’s acquisition strategy, including the acquisitions of specified brands arsenic Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Jo Malone London and MAC, the institution said.

During his years arsenic president emeritus, Lauder was intimately progressive successful the concern and day-to-day operations and was a changeless fixture astatine its planetary office successful New York and astatine its stores astir the satellite until the clip of his death, the institution said.

“Throughout his life, my begetter worked tirelessly to physique and alteration the quality industry, pioneering galore of the innovations, trends, and champion practices that are foundational to the manufacture today,” said William P. Lauder, lad and seat of the committee astatine The Estée Lauder Companies successful a statement. “He was the astir charitable antheral I person ever known, believing that creation and acquisition belonged to everyone, and championing the combat against diseases specified arsenic Alzheimer’s and bosom cancer. ”

Lauder was a longtime patron of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and, successful 2013, pledged his 78-piece postulation of Cubist creation to the depository successful the largest azygous philanthropic acquisition successful the museum's history. He aboriginal added 5 large works to that pledged gift, the institution said.

In performance with his Cubist postulation donation, helium helped found the Leonard A. Lauder Research Center for Modern Art astatine the Met to enactment a programme of fellowships, focused exhibitions, and nationalist lectures. He besides was the Whitney Museum of American Art’s president emeritus and a trustee from 1977 to 2011.

Lauder was joined to Evelyn H. Lauder, who had been the elder firm vice president astatine the cosmetic institution and the laminitis of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, from 1959 until she passed distant successful 2011.

On Jan. 1, 2015, Lauder joined Judy Glickman Lauder, a philanthropist and internationally recognized photographer.

Lauder was calved successful 1933 successful New York City. He was a postgraduate of the Bronx High School of Science, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, and the Officer Candidate School of the United States Navy.

Lauder studied astatine Columbia University’s postgraduate schoolhouse of business. He served arsenic a lieutenant successful the U.S. Navy and arsenic a Navy reservist, for which the U.S. Navy Supply Corps Foundation aboriginal recognized him with its Distinguished Alumni Award.

In summation to his woman and lad William, Lauder is survived by his different lad Gary M. Lauder and wife, Laura Lauder; 5 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, galore stepchildren and measurement grandchildren, arsenic good arsenic his brother, Ronald S. Lauder, and wife, Jo Carole Lauder, and their daughters, Aerin Lauder and Jane Lauder.