Leonard Alan Lauder (1933-2025) was an American billionaire businessman, philanthropist, and art collector. Born in New York City on March 19, 1933, to Estée Lauder and Joseph Lauder, he grew up in the family environment where his mother founded The Estée Lauder Companies in their kitchen in 1946. The older brother of Ronald S. Lauder, he became one of the sole heirs to the cosmetics empire. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and served as a military officer before joining the family business in 1958, rising to become President, CEO until 1999, and later Chairman Emeritus. Under his leadership, the company went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1996 and expanded through acquisitions including MAC Cosmetics, Aveda, Bobbi Brown, and La Mer, growing it into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise valued at around $89 billion during his tenure. Known as the 'Chief Teaching Officer' at the company, he authored 'The Company I Keep: My Life in Beauty,' sharing lessons on leadership and legacy. A prominent philanthropist, Lauder was chairman emeritus of the Whitney Museum of American Art, co-founder and co-chairman of the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, and an emeritus trustee at the University of Pennsylvania. He was also a noted art collector. Lauder passed away on June 14, 2025.