• by Karl Greenberg , April 29, 2009

Estee Lauder has finished phase two of the succession plan the company first announced in 2007. The changes include establishment of a new C-suite organization, the Executive Leadership Team. The new executive team will be under the counsel of Fabrizio Freda, who becomes president and CEO in July. At that time, family scion William Lauder becomes executive chairman. The company has also established a subsidiary program management team to oversee strategic priorities and cost-cutting.

Said Lauder in a release: "Fabrizio has brought together The Estée Lauder Companies top talent across all of our brands, regions and functions into a new leadership team that will be fully integrated. I am highly confident that this new team, under Fabrizio's excellent leadership, will deliver strong, sustainable results to all of the Company's stakeholders."

The changes include organizing consumer brands into four product channel categories, each one overseen individually by John Demsey, Lynne Greene, Veronique Gabai-Pinsky and Dominique Conseil. A spokesperson explained that the four channels are organized into broad categories that give Conseil salon and pharmacy products; Gabai-Pinksy licensing and the company's creative channel; Demsey higher-end products; and Greene oversight of entry-prestige brands.

Demsey, who is the group president of the Estée Lauder, M•A•C, Tom Ford and Prescriptives brands, will now add the Specialty Group of Bobbi Brown, La Mer and Jo Malone to the brands he oversees. Jane Hertzmark Hudis, who is currently president of BeautyBank, Origins and Ojon reporting to Demsey, will become the global brand president of the Estée Lauder brand. Also reporting to Demsey: Maureen Case, the global president of the Specialty Group, who will also oversee the Bobbi Brown, La Mer and Jo Malone brands; and Caroline Geerlings, who will continue as SVP/general manager of Prescriptives.

Lynne Greene, currently the global president of Clinique, will now become the global brand president of the Clinique, Origins and Ojon brands. Reporting to Ms. Greene will be Jane Lauder, the senior vice president/general manager of Origins.

Veronique Gabai-Pinsky, who currently oversees Aramis and Designer Fragrances, will become the global brand president of Aramis Designer Fragrances, BeautyBank and IdeaBank, the company's entrepreneurial think tank.

Dominique Conseil, who is currently president, Aveda, will become the global brand president of Aveda, Salon and Pharmacy Channels. Peter Lichtenthal will continue in his role as president, Bumble and bumble, and along with the Darphin brand, will report to Mr. Conseil.

The new structure at Estee Lauder also includes changes in how the company parses global marketing into regions. Said Freda in a release: "Our regional focus will simultaneously allow us to improve our local marketing capabilities by being closer to our consumers and to reduce costs across the Company." The changes include the establishment of a North America region with Thia Breen, currently global president of the Estée Lauder brand, becoming president, North America.

Also new will be a Latin America region led by Daniel Rachmanis, who will become senior vice president, Latin America and Business Development. The Latin American region will be part of the company's International operations under Cedric Prouvé, group president, International and Fabrice Weber, who will remain President, Asia-Pacific Region. Also reporting to Prouve: Ivan Fernandez, president of Europe, Middle East and Africa; Olivier Bottrie, president of Travel Retailing Worldwide; and Per Neuman, president of Estée Lauder's UK operations.

North America's Breen and International Chief Prouvé will report directly to Freda, per the company.