• by Karl Greenberg , March 9, 2009

As part of an effort to pare down its management, Procter & Gamble has eliminated the role of president, global business units. Susan E. Arnold, a 29-year veteran of the company, has held that role-- overseeing $80 billion in sales from some 300 global brands since 2007. She stepped down from the position on Monday, and per the company, will retire in September. Before that, she will continue on in what the company characterizes as "special assignment" capacity, reporting to Chairman of the Board and CEO A.G. Lafley. 

The company says she has long intended to leave the post on her 55th birthday. Per Procter & Gamble, the vice chairs of the global business units who have reported to Arnold will now report to Lafley: "Reducing a layer of management as part of the company's ongoing simplification effort," noted a company release.

Arnold became president of the global skin care division in 1999 and president of global personal beauty care in 2000. "It had always been Susan's intention to step down when she reached the birthday," says a company spokesperson. "We have made it very clear, particularly recently, that we are committed to simplifying the way we are structured. A particular focus of the work is on reducing organizational layers. Especially on the most senior level."

The company said that P&G's beauty business nearly tripled in size, from about $7 billion in 1999 to $20 billion under her leadership. Since the time she became president of P&G's personal beauty care business in 1999, it expanded from one $1 billion-dollar product--Pantene--to eight billion-dollar brands: Pantene, Olay, Head & Shoulders, Wella, Mach3, Gillette, Fusion and Braun. Eight additional brands post-sales between $500 million and $1 billion a year, per P&G.

Arnold was the first female leader of P&G's global beauty business, the first female vice chair and the first woman to be company president. The company says Arnold will continue to serve on the boards of directors at The Walt Disney Company, McDonald's, Catalyst, and Save the Children.

"She has no plans to move to another company," says the spokesperson.