Estée Lauder’s Olivier Bottrie to retire

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Mar 8, 2022

U.S. cosmetics group Estée Lauder announced on Monday the retirement of Olivier Bottrie, global president, travel retail and retail development.

After a 26-year career at the company, he will transition to a special advisor role effective May 1, 2022 and will depart the company on June 30. A successor is expected to be named in the coming days. 

“Olivier is a strategic leader with clarity of vision, deep international expertise and a dynamic and inclusive leadership style,” said Fabrizio Freda, president and chief executive officer. 

“He has been a driving force for innovation and growth, leveraging his strong relationships, commitment to excellence and laser focus on the traveling consumer’s needs to transform travel retail into a growth and profit driver for the company. Throughout his career, and especially over the last two years, Olivier has been a guiding force and mentor for his talented team, always leading with confidence and compassion. His presence will be greatly missed across the organization and throughout the industry.” 

Since 2004, Bottrie has headed ELC’s global travel retail business where he is credited for growing the travel retail channel from approximately 6 percent of ELCs net sales in 2004 to approximately 28 percent in fiscal year 2021. In 2017, he expanded his role to include oversight of retail development, where he managed the company’s freestanding store portfolio, and strengthened retail excellence and efficiency.

He also spearheaded the creation of travel retail’s own sustainability goals in 2021, several programs to advance Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (ID&E), as well as co-founded Hand in Hand for Haiti in 2010 in response to the devastating earthquake that struck that year. 

“We are grateful for Olivier’s tremendous contributions to our business over the past 26 years, and the many ground-breaking initiatives he has led for travel retail and the company,” added William P. Lauder, executive chairman.

“With his empathetic and inclusive leadership style, Olivier has made an enormous difference both within and beyond ELC through his passion for giving back. On behalf of the company and the Lauder family, I would like to wish Olivier the very best in his well-deserved retirement.”