03.11.22
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. has made key leadership appointments for its Travel Retail business on the heels of the June 2022 retirement of Olivier Bottrie, currently global president, travel retail and retail development.
Effective May 1, Israel Assa, current president, commercial, travel retail worldwide, will succeed Olivier as the global president. He will be based in New York and will report directly to Peter Jueptner, president, international and join the company’s executive leadership team. Assa as more than two decades of experience within The Estée Lauder Companies and Travel Retail. In this role, Assa will lead The Estée Lauder Companies’ global Travel Retail business, which has grown from approximately 6% of ELC’s net sales in fiscal year 2004 to approximately 28% in fiscal year 2021.
Over the course of his career, Israel has held diverse roles across ELC’s Travel Retail business, touching all aspects of the channel as a regional lead, a brand lead and a commercial lead. In his most recent role as President, Commercial, Travel Retail Worldwide, Israel oversaw Travel Retail’s Regional businesses in APAC, EMEA, and Americas as well as created a centralized Center of Excellence in Switzerland to enhance the organization’s service to global and regional retailers. Since taking on this position in 2019, Assa, a graduate of the advanced management program of the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, has overseen tremendous growth within The Estée Lauder Companies’ Travel Retail business and has acted as a steadying force throughout the volatility of the global pandemic.
Javier Simon, currently president, Travel Retail Asia Pacific, will succeed Assa and will be named president, commercial, Travel Retail Worldwide. He will report directly to Israel and will be based in Switzerland. He will join the company’s Executive Leadership Team.
In this role, Simon will oversee travel retail’s regional businesses in APAC, EMEA, and Americas as well as the global retailer Center of Excellence in Switzerland focused on commercial and channel partnerships.
Most recently appointed President, Travel Retail Asia Pacific, in 2019, Javier has powered by the traveling Chinese consumer, the rise in online pre-order and a commitment to delivering the highest quality brand-building experiences, travel retail Asia Pacific has continued to excel, even in the face of the global pandemic. Javier’s ability to steer his team through the uncertainties of the global pandemic, pivoting their focus to Hainan and Chinese domestic travel have been critical to maintaining success for the channel and the company.
A Venezuelan native, Simon joined The Estée Lauder Companies in 2000 as regional director for the Estée Lauder brand in travel retail Americas, and then went on to become vice president and general manager for travel retail Americas in 2001. In 2006, Javier was appointed general manager for the Swiss Affiliate before returning to travel retail as vice president and general manager, travel retail APAC, in 2009. He holds his bachelor of science in international studies from the Universidad Central de Venezuela and an MBA from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Paris. He also is a graduate of the advanced management program of the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Andrea Dorigo, senior vice president, general manager, global retail and head of commercial, North America, will continue to report directly to Mark Loomis, president, North America, for his commercial, North America responsibilities, and will report directly to Peter for his Global Retail responsibilities.
“We are proud of the exceptional depth and quality of talent across the organization, and as Olivier steps into his well-deserved retirement, we are pleased to elevate Israel and Javier, two dynamic, internally-trained and highly experienced leaders into these roles of greater responsibility,” said Peter Jueptner. “ELC remains committed to investing in and growing our local and international talent around the world, particularly leaders like Israel and Javier, who have extensive first-hand experience in Travel Retail and deep global expertise across all aspects of prestige beauty.”