Estée Lauder Appoints Executive VP

Deirdre Stanley has been appointed executive vice president and general counsel, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., effective October 28, 2019. Stanley will jointly report to William P. Lauder, executive chairman, and Fabrizio Freda, president and CEO. She will join the company’s executive leadership team.
 
As executive VP and general counsel, Stanley will be responsible for The Estée Lauder Companies’ (ELC) legal organization globally. She will act as a strategic advisor to the organization and to ELC’s Board of Directors on complex global legal issues and the company’s business interests going forward. In this her role, she will lead the company’s legal strategy, practices and policies globally. Stanley will act as a key partner to ELC’s executive leaders and business units across the organization on a wide range of legal matters including corporate strategies, reporting, compliance, risk mitigation, governance and complex business transactions. She will also lead the company’s legal review of potential acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures.
 
“Deirdre is a highly talented, proven general counsel and seasoned executive whose global business acumen and legal expertise are matched only by her leadership capabilities and sound judgment,” said William P. Lauder. “Deirdre’s exemplary track record of leading large organizations and acting as a key strategic partner to multiple CEOs and boards at a family controlled, publicly traded company makes her uniquely suited to take on this role.”
 
Prior to joining ELC, Stanley served as general counsel for The Thomson Reuters Corporation and its predecessor company for 17 years. After six years as Senior VP and general counsel of The Thomson Corporation, Stanley was promoted to Executive VP and general counsel following the acquisition of Reuters by Thomson in 2008. During her tenure, Stanley had roles of increasing responsibility, including serving as a member of the company’s executive and operating committees, as secretary to the company’s Board of Directors, and as a company-appointed director of Refinitiv, a financial markets data joint venture. As the company’s chief legal officer, Stanley was responsible for worldwide legal affairs and operations with lawyers in more than 10 countries, including in North America, Europe, Asia and multiple emerging markets. Her responsibilities also included government and regulatory affairs. Stanley led a number of company-wide initiatives including establishing the company’s enterprise risk management program and acting as executive sponsor of various women’s leadership and other diversity initiatives.
 
“Deirdre’s exceptional career demonstrates her effectiveness as both a world-class General Counsel and strategic business leader capable of managing a global organization while staying focused on long-term growth and transformation,” said Fabrizio Freda. “Deirdre’s extensive expertise, sound judgment in both business as well as legal matters and strong understanding of the unique environment in which ELC operates make her ideally suited for this role. Working closely with our Board of Directors, William and me, Deirdre will be a critical partner in driving ELC’s strategy for long-term sustainable growth.”
 
From 1999 to 2002,  Stanley held roles of increasing responsibility at InterActiveCorp/USA Networks Inc., now IAC. During this period, she honed her business and strategic skills initially as deputy general counsel and later in a dual role as divisional general counsel and head of business development for the company’s Electronic Commerce Solutions division.
 
After beginning her career at the esteemed law firm Cravath, Swaine and Moore, Stanley moved to the client side to pursue her interests in business. From 1997 to 1999, Stanley was associate general counsel for the GTE Corporation, a predecessor company to Verizon. In that role, she was the lead lawyer for domestic mergers and acquisitions
 
Stanley holds an A.B. in Public Policy Studies from Duke University, and a J.D. from Harvard University, where she served as a member of the prestigious Harvard Law Review. She is a director of Consolidated Edison Inc. and member of the Board of Trustees of the Hospital for Special Surgery and The Dalton School.
 
Stanley succeeds Sara E. Moss, who was recently promoted to the newly-created role of vice chairman.