Leonard A. Lauder, Beauty Industry Icon and Estée Lauder Heir, Passes Away

Estée Lauder chairman emeritus passes away. The U.S. cosmetics group announced the death of the businessman on June 14, at the age of 92. A. Lauder was the son of Josephine Esther Mentzer and Joseph Lauder, who founded the company in 1908.

Leonard A. Lauder was president of Estée Lauder from 1972 to 1995. He later served as CEO from 1982 to 1999. He was also appointed chairman of the group in 1995, a position he held until June 2009.

A graduate of Columbia University, he joined the company in 1958, and for more than six decades, he transformed the business by boosting its presence in the United States, the group said in an official statement.

Leonard A. Lauder joined the U.S. group in 1958.

Within Estée Lauder, Leonard A. Lauder led the launch of brands such as Aramis, Clinique and Lab Series. Until the day of his passing, the executive continued to be involved in the company's acquisition strategy, such as Aveda, Bobbi Brown and M∙A∙C.

During his lifetime, Leonard A. Lauder was the recipient of several awards, including the Lone Sailor, awarded by the U.S. Navy Supply Corps Foundation, the Légion d'Honneur, awarded by the government of France, the Women's Leadership Award, awarded by the Lincoln Center Corporate Fund Women's Leadership Council, and the Palazzo Strozzi Renaissance Man of the Year Award.

In 2020, he was inducted into the Retail Hall of Fame by the World Retail Congress itself.