• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
MPW

A Big Year for Cosmetics Puts Estee Lauder Heir on List of Richest in the World

By
Andrew Heathcote
Andrew Heathcote
and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Andrew Heathcote
Andrew Heathcote
and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 20, 2019, 11:47 AM ET

Cosmetics heir Jane Lauder vaulted into the ranks of the world’s 500 richest people this week after shares of the cosmetics giant that bears her name surged on strong quarterly earnings and a rosy outlook for the fiscal year.

Lauder’s net worth rose $1.5 billion this year, including a $447 million gain Monday, bringing her fortune to $4.3 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. She’s ranked No. 461 on the list, just behind New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

Estee Lauder Cos. and its competitors are having a strong year thanks in large part to sales growth in Asia, and that’s fattening the coffers of the biggest names in the cosmetics business. Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, the richest woman on Earth, added $6.6 billion to her fortune this year as shares of L’Oreal SA, the world’s largest cosmetics maker, climbed 18% through Monday.

Lauder, a member of the company’s board and a granddaughter of its namesake founder, is one of 69 women on the Bloomberg wealth ranking. A spokeswoman for the New York-based firm didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Shares of Estee Lauder advanced to a record Monday and the most since 2011 after posting fiscal fourth-quarter sales of $3.59 billion and earnings per share that topped Wall Street estimates. Sales in Asia surged 25%, led by growth in China, Hong Kong and emerging markets in Southeast Asia.

Lauder, who’s married to Kevin Warsh, a former member of the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee, began working at the company in 1996. She joined the board in 2009 and became global brand president of Clinique in 2014.

Her uncle Leonard Lauder is the world’s 41st-richest person with a $21.9 billion fortune, up $6.8 billion this year. A sister, Aerin Lauder, is also a billionaire, though her net worth is below the ranking’s current $4 billion cutoff.

The Lauders are the 23rd-richest family, according to Bloomberg’s family list.

More must-read stories from Fortune:

—What it’s really like to have a baby while running your company
—What does it take to certify that a company takes harassment seriously?
—Former Tinder exec sues former CEO for sexual assault
—Here’s how to get more women in leadership
—Athleta sponsors its first athlete, Allyson Felix
Keep up with the world’s most powerful women with Fortune’s Broadsheet newsletter.

About the Authors
By Andrew Heathcote
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Bloomberg
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in MPW

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in MPW

Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives are gaining and losing power
C-SuiteFortune 500 Power Moves
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives are gaining and losing power
By Fortune EditorsApril 3, 2026
7 days ago
The short, uneasy tenure of Pam Bondi
NewslettersMPW Daily
The short, uneasy tenure of Pam Bondi
By Emma HinchliffeApril 3, 2026
7 days ago
Olympic champion Eileen Gu’s advice for women seeking her heights of career success: Don’t be a small fish in a big pond, ‘Create your own pond’
MPWMost Powerful Women
Olympic champion Eileen Gu’s advice for women seeking her heights of career success: Don’t be a small fish in a big pond, ‘Create your own pond’
By Emma HinchliffeMarch 31, 2026
10 days ago
Can Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In take on tradwives and the manosphere?
NewslettersMPW Daily
Can Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In take on tradwives and the manosphere?
By Emma HinchliffeMarch 27, 2026
14 days ago
Influencer Alix Earle turned her worst insecurity into her first brand. This is her plan to monetize her 14 million followers and make it last
MPWMost Powerful Women
Influencer Alix Earle turned her worst insecurity into her first brand. This is her plan to monetize her 14 million followers and make it last
By Emma HinchliffeMarch 26, 2026
15 days ago
The youngest-ever female CEO of a Fortune 500 company is fighting Trump’s cuts to keep Medicaid strong
MagazineCentene
The youngest-ever female CEO of a Fortune 500 company is fighting Trump’s cuts to keep Medicaid strong
By Diane BradyMarch 24, 2026
17 days ago

Most Popular

The U.S. government is spending $88 billion a month in interest on national debt—equal to spending on defense and education combined
Economy
The U.S. government is spending $88 billion a month in interest on national debt—equal to spending on defense and education combined
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
20 hours ago
A Meta employee created a dashboard so coworkers can compete to be the company's No. 1 AI token user—and Zuckerberg doesn't even rank in the top 250
AI
A Meta employee created a dashboard so coworkers can compete to be the company's No. 1 AI token user—and Zuckerberg doesn't even rank in the top 250
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
22 hours ago
Gen Z doesn't want your full-time job. They want several part-time roles, and it's reshaping the entire workforce
Success
Gen Z doesn't want your full-time job. They want several part-time roles, and it's reshaping the entire workforce
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
23 hours ago
White-collar workers are quietly rebelling against AI as 80% outright refuse adoption mandates
AI
White-collar workers are quietly rebelling against AI as 80% outright refuse adoption mandates
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
21 hours ago
Gen Z workers are so fearful AI will take their job they’re intentionally sabotaging their company’s AI rollout
AI
Gen Z workers are so fearful AI will take their job they’re intentionally sabotaging their company’s AI rollout
By Fortune EditorsApril 8, 2026
2 days ago
2 years ago, Saudi Arabia quietly canceled the ‘petrodollar’ deal with America that wired the world economy for 50 years. Then war broke out in Iran
Energy
2 years ago, Saudi Arabia quietly canceled the ‘petrodollar’ deal with America that wired the world economy for 50 years. Then war broke out in Iran
By Fortune EditorsApril 7, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.