The Estée Lauder Companies announced on Friday that Ronald S. Lauder will retire from the U.S. beauty company’s board of directors, effective immediately.
Lauder joined the cosmetics giant in 1964 and has served in various capacities since. He was a member of the board of directors from 1968 to 1986, from 1988 to July 2009 and from 2016 through his most recent retirement.
In line with the stockholders’ agreement among Lauder family members and the New York-based company, Lauder has the right to designate two directors of the company. His daughter Jane Lauder will continue to serve on the board in her current position, and while Lauder’s son-in-law, Eric Zinterhofer, married to his daughter Aerin Lauder, has been named his second designee. Despite his stepping down from the board, Lauder will remain chairman of Clinique Laboratories.
With years of financial, investing and global business experience, Zinterhofer is currently a founding partner of Searchlight Capital Partners, where he serves on the firm’s investment committee, operating committee and valuation committee, and is jointly responsible for overseeing its activities with the two other founding partners.
Zinterhofer also serves on the boards of several portfolio companies of Searchlight including Care Advantage, Hemisphere, Liberty Latin America, and TelevisaUnivision, and serves as chairman of the board of Charter Communications. Prior to co-founding Searchlight, he was a senior partner at Apollo Management in New York.
“As a member of the Lauder family and director on the board, Ronald has been a steadfast advocate for The Estée Lauder Companies, our people, and our brands. His dedication and strategic vision have been integral to ensuring our company is built upon a strong foundation. On behalf of the organization, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for his remarkable service and leadership,” said William Lauder, chair of the board.
“I would also like to welcome Eric to the board. As a member of the family, Eric will continue to champion the values at the heart of our company while bringing a fresh perspective at this pivotal moment. We are confident Eric’s significant governance experience, strategic insight, and industry knowledge will be an asset to the company and advance our plans for long-term growth.”
In its most recent trading update in October, Estée Lauder pulled its annual sales and profit forecasts and cut its dividend as it faces an uncertain outlook in China.
Zalando has announced Iamisigo, a Nigerian-founded brand, as winner of its Visionary Award 2025 “for its boundary-pushing exploration of artisanal craftsmanship and pioneering textile innovation”.
As well as the €50,000 prize, the label will present its collection on the runway at Copenhagen Fashion Week SS26 in August “with Zalando’s continued support through financial assistance for the show production, facilitating mentorship opportunities and tailored industry connections”.
The company said the award reflects its “commitment to supporting emerging designers who challenge conventions and inspire progress in the fashion industry”.
The brand blends heritage textiles with traditional craft techniques drawn from across Africa. It was founded by Bubu Ogisi and offers “contemporary designs with a bold, fresh perspective”.
At an exhibition at Copenhagen Fashion Week AW25 this week, the award finalists introduced their brands, presented their visions and ethos through a showcase of their hero pieces and a panel talk, hosted by Zalando.
We’re told the jury chose Iamisigo “for its dedication to blending ethical sourcing with a commitment to empowering local communities. The brand’s distinct voice, visionary and magical aesthetic challenge conventions, offering a new perspective on what it means to drive positive change in fashion; transcending gender norms, designing for spirits and energies”.
The jury also said that Bubu Ogisi “embodies the essence of a visionary in many ways, and that she is a rare creative talent working in this space today, with a brand whose output is both beautiful and miraculous”.
Deckers Outdoor on Thursday beat third-quarter sales estimates on robust holiday demand for its Hoka running shoes, but an in-line annual forecast caused the footwear maker’s shares to tumble 17% in extended trading.
Hoka shoes with their oversized soles have been gaining market share from brands such as Nike in the sportswear category. The brand, which retails for up to $300 in the United States, have also enjoyed full-price sales.
This drove up the company’s third-quarter revenue by 17% to $1.83 billion, beating analysts’ average estimate of $1.73 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG. Deckers also raised its annual net sales forecast for a second time this year.
“The guidance looks pretty conservative and considering the beat, it’s bit of a negative read into the out quarter,” said Drake MacFarlane, analyst at MScience.
The popularity of the Hoka shoes and the success of the company’s Ugg boots and sandals has helped it post double-digit revenue growth for nearly seven quarters.
The company now expects annual net sales to increase about 15% to $4.9 billion, compared with its prior expectation of about 12% growth to $4.8 billion. Analysts estimated an increase of 14.9% to $4.93 billion.
Deckers expects annual earnings per share of $5.75 to $5.80, compared with its prior forecast of $5.15 to $5.25.
Amazon.com is increasing its advertising on billionaire Elon Musk’s social media platform X, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The major shift comes after the e-commerce giant withdrew much of its advertising from the platform more than a year ago due to concerns over hate speech.
In 2023, Apple also pulled all of its advertising from X and has recently been in discussions about testing ads on the platform, the report said.
Several ad agencies, tech and media companies had also suspended advertising on X following Musk’s endorsement of an antisemitic post that falsely accused members of the Jewish community of inciting hatred against white people.
Monthly U.S. ad revenue at social media platform X has declined by at least 55% year-over-year each month since Musk bought the company, formerly known as Twitter, in October 2022. He had acknowledged that an extended boycott by advertisers could bankrupt X.
Musk has become one of the most influential figures following President Donald Trump‘s re-election. He now leads the Department of Government Efficiency, which aims to cut $2 trillion in government spending.