William P. Lauder

William P. Lauder
Born	(1960-04-11) April 11, 1960
Occupation(s)	Business executive, entrepreneur
Known for	Executive chairman of The Estée Lauder Companies

William Philip Lauder (born April 11, 1960) is a prominent American billionaire entrepreneur currently holding the position of executive chairman at The Estée Lauder Companies, a foremost global producer of skincare, cosmetics, fragrances, and hair care products.

Early life

Lauder is the offspring of Evelyn Lauder (née Hausner) and Leonard A. Lauder, and the grandson of Estée and Joseph Lauder, who established the Estée Lauder Companies. His paternal heritage includes Hungarian Jewish and Czechoslovak Jewish roots, while his maternal lineage is Austrian Jewish. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1983.

Career

In 1986, Lauder began his career at The Estée Lauder Companies as the regional marketing director for Clinique USA within the New York metropolitan area. Following this, he spent two years managing field sales at Prescriptives. Prior to joining Estée Lauder, he completed an executive training program at Macy's and was appointed associate merchandising manager for the New York Division/Dallas store during its launch in 1985.

Between 1990 and 1998, Lauder held roles as vice president/general manager and later president of Origins Natural Resources Inc., spearheading the brand’s market introduction and expansion. During his tenure, Origins introduced an innovative store-within-a-store retail model and recorded the fastest growth rate among U.S. cosmetic companies.

From June 1998 until July 2001, he acted as president of Clinique Laboratories. In this capacity, he directed the successful rollout of Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, which became the top-selling skincare item in American department stores. He also launched Clinique’s inaugural anti-aging product, Stop Signs Visible Anti-Aging Serum, which received the CEW Award in 2000. Additionally, he grew Clinique’s presence in hair care through the Simple Hair Care System launch and managed the brand’s digital platform.

From 2001 to 2004, Lauder served as group president of The Estée Lauder Companies and simultaneously as president of Clinique Worldwide. He oversaw global operations for Clinique and Origins as well as managed the company’s retail segment encompassing Aveda, Origins, and M•A•C. His responsibilities included directing worldwide online ventures such as Gloss.com, a collaboration with Chanel and Clarins.

Lauder succeeded Fred H. Langhammer as CEO in July 2004 and remained in that role until July 2009 when Fabrizio Freda succeeded him. Prior to becoming CEO, he was chief operating officer from January 2003 onward, supervising all global operations and nine specialty brands including Prescriptives, Aveda, and Bobbi Brown.

Board positions

Lauder holds trustee roles at both the University of Pennsylvania and New York City's Trinity School. He co-leads the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and serves on the boards of The Fresh Air Fund and the 92nd Street Y.

Income

In his capacity as CEO of Estée Lauder during 2009, William P. Lauder received total compensation amounting to $8,037,296. This package included a base salary of $1.5 million, a cash bonus of $975,000, stock grants valued at $2.77 million, and stock options worth $2.7 million.

Personal life

In 1987, Lauder wed Karen Jacobs; the couple ended their marriage in 2010. He is the father of three daughters and lives in a co-op on Park Avenue, while also owning residences in Westchester County, Aspen, Colorado, and Palm Beach, Florida.