The succession plan for the leadership at The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) continues to unfold with the news that Jane Lauder is stepping down from her role as Chief Digital Officer and Executive Vice President of Enterprise Marketing at the end of this year. Lauder has occupied her dual role since 2020.

Last July she was named as a co-leader of the business's profit recovery plan alongside Executive Group President Stéphane de la Faverie. She previously worked as a Global Brand President at various ELC brands, including the Clinique and Origins brands.

In an internal memo announcing her departure obtained by WWD, Lauder wrote, "The company is embarking on a necessary and fundamental turnaround. I have thought about how I can be most effective in helping the company reclaim its rightful position as the world's leader in prestige beauty and restore long-term shareholder value."

In August, when Fabrizio Freda revealed his plans to retire at the end of fiscal year 2025, the granddaughter of Estée Lauder, the company's founder, was rumored to be an internal candidate to succeed him, along with  de La Faverie. Lauder's departure leaves de la Faverie in position to take the helm from Freda.

The Lauder family owns 35% of the company's total common stock and about 84% of the outstanding voting power. While Jane Lauder will retain her board seat, her departure means no Lauder family members will be working in the company's day-to-day operations.

The company has been under pressure by investors as the business continues to struggle to recover after the pandemic from its reliance on the Chinese market and department stores, with its stock price down some 75% since hitting a record high of $374 in January 2022.