Over the last 35 years, Jane Hertzmark Hudis has climbed the ranks of The Estée Lauder Companies to become one of the beauty industry’s most formidable executives and visionaries.
As executive group president, Hertzmark Hudis is responsible for leading the company’s Estée Lauder, La Mer, Bobbi Brown, Aerin, Origins, Aveda, Bumble and Bumble and Dr.Jart+ brands globally. As such, she can count many wins in 2021, including the global growth and strong performance of La Mer and the company’s hair care category. La Mer sales grew by double digits in the first quarter of fiscal year 2022, according to the company’s latest earnings in November. And hair care saw an 8% growth.
“[Our customers] truly have an insatiable appetite for beauty,” said Hertzmark Hudis. “Consumers gravitated to our brands’ hero products, driving high recruitment, and repeat and repurchase. And consumers of all ages and demographics pivoted to online shopping.”
Additionally, the partnerships between poet Amanda Gorman and Estée Lauder in September and sustainability activist Indy Officinalis and Origins in November have led the respective brands to offer a modern and fresh take on beauty. With Gorman, ELC established a three-year, $3 million literacy grant program based on the belief that literacy is at the heart of advancing the equality of women and girls. The first grantees will be announced in 2022.
“Like so many people around the world, I was captivated by Amanda’s powerful words at the inauguration… The idea here is that Amanda is not a spokesmodel, but she is a role model,” said Hertzmark Hudis. “[And] when I had the opportunity to meet Indy, I realized instantly she would be the perfect voice and storyteller to take Origins into its modern future focused on her belief in plant-based beauty.”
