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

Trendingnow

1

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

2

The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 

3

Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026

1

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

2

The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 

3

Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
SuccessL'Oreal
Europe

Billionaire L’Oréal heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers retires and passes on board role to her son

Prarthana Prakash
By
Prarthana Prakash
Prarthana Prakash
Europe Business News Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
Prarthana Prakash
By
Prarthana Prakash
Prarthana Prakash
Europe Business News Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 7, 2025, 6:40 AM ET
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, her husband Jean-Pierre Meyers, Jean-Victor Meyers and Nicolas Meyers
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers with her husband Jean-Pierre Meyers and sons Jean-Victor Meyers and Nicolas Meyers, pictured in 2017. Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images For Fondation L'Oreal

L’Oréal’s heiress, Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, will retire from the French cosmetic company’s board later this year. 

Recommended Video

The move, announced Thursday alongside L’Oréal’s annual results, comes after Bettencourt Meyers spent 28 years on the board of the company her grandfather founded. She served the last five years as the board’s vice chairwoman and owns a third of L’Oréal. 

Following her departure, Bettencourt Meyers will pass on her vice-chair position to her son Jean-Victor Meyers, a director on L’Oréal’s board alongside his brother Nicolas Meyers. 

The 71-year-old L’Oréal heiress also chairs the family’s investment company, Téthys, the largest shareholder in the cosmetics company. Her husband, Jean-Pierre Meyers, is the CEO. 

Bettencourt Meyers has also proposed that Alexandre Benais, the deputy CEO of Téthys, take her spot on L’Oréal’s board to represent the family holding company. The decision will be up for a vote at the company’s annual general meeting. 

Bettencourt Meyers was once the world’s richest woman, with her wealth briefly soaring past $100 billion in 2023 amid strong stock performance by L’Oréal. The pandemic helped drive shares up as people freely splurged with their lockdown-time savings. 

But L’Oréal’s shares have struggled since then amid weaker demand for skin care and cosmetics, particularly in China. The company’s shares are down 25% in the last year. 

That’s wiped billions from Bettencourt Meyers’ wealth. While she ceded the title of richest woman to Alice Walton, the heiress of the Walmart empire, Bettencourt Meyers is still worth $77 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. 

Unlike many other billionaires, Bettencourt Meyers keeps her life private. She has written two books, one on the Bible and another on Greek gods, and is known to be an avid piano player, Bloomberg reported in December 2023. 

Representatives at L’Oréal didn’t immediately return Fortune’s request for comment.

2025’s “beauty stimulus”

L’Oréal, which owns brands like Garnier, Maybelline, and Aesop, reported a 5.6% increase in 2024 sales of €43.48 billion ($45 billion) on Thursday. 

Read more from Fortune

  • This entrepreneurial couple cashed out their 401(k)s and sold a $126 million company—now, they run a U.K. soccer team
  • Trump’s 25% tariffs are backfiring and threatening Gen Z’s trade career aspirations—putting car manufacturing jobs in peril
  • Gen Z women are being sold a risky dream: the realities behind ‘investing’ in designer bags like the Hermès Birkin
  • Like Tim Cook and Gen Z, AEG’s top exec eats the same lunch most days and wears the same outfit
  • Warren Buffett reveals the unique education strategy he took in school—and eventually paid off with a $170 billion fortune
  •  

    Even as China’s lackluster appetite remains, North America has been a bright spot for L’Oréal—much as with other luxury companies. Its dermatological products, including those offered by CeraVe and La Roche-Posay, were key to L’Oréal’s growth. 

    CEO Nicolas Hieronimus wants to target emerging countries and the U.S. and expand L’Oréal’s market share in products for men and those over 60 in 2025. 

    “We expect growth to accelerate progressively, supported by our beauty stimulus plan, which will be driven by an exciting pipeline of new launches and continued strong brand support,” he said.

    L’Oréal is also looking to home in on the intersection of beauty and tech, having launched a new device that can provide a detailed dissection of the skin’s needs. 

    “This will allow us to go ever faster and further in our conquest of new beauty spaces: geographic, demographic and highly promising technologies that offer innovative science-based beauty solutions to the consumer of tomorrow,” Hieronimus said.

    The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene Fortune 500 executives, U.S. policy officials, top founders, and thought leaders to help define what’s next for the American economy, Nov. 16-17 in Detroit. Apply here.
    About the Author
    Prarthana Prakash
    By Prarthana PrakashEurope Business News Reporter
    LinkedIn icon

    Prarthana Prakash was a Europe business reporter at Fortune.

    See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

    Latest in Success

    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
    • World's Most Admired Companies
    • See All Rankings
    • Lists Calendar
    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
    • Press Center
    • Work At Fortune
    • Terms And Conditions
    • Site Map
    • About Us
    • Press Center
    • Work At Fortune
    • Terms And Conditions
    • Site Map
    • Facebook icon
    • Twitter icon
    • LinkedIn icon
    • Instagram icon
    • Pinterest icon

    Latest in Success

    Teenager working in ice cream shop
    SuccessJobs
    Hundreds of teens are flooding job ads to work at ice cream shops and swimming pools as they grapple with the worst summer job market in 80 years
    By Emma BurleighJune 2, 2026
    3 hours ago
    Meet America’s ‘Disillusioned’: the 32% feeling betrayed and rejecting the establishment—and they’re not who you think
    EconomyRetirement
    Meet America’s ‘Disillusioned’: the 32% feeling betrayed and rejecting the establishment—and they’re not who you think
    By Nick Lichtenberg and Catherina GioinoJune 2, 2026
    8 hours ago
    He sent out 3,200 résumés and got zero job offers in the 2008 crash. Now Outdoor Boys’ Luke Nichols is telling grads how he survived
    SuccessCareer Advice
    He sent out 3,200 résumés and got zero job offers in the 2008 crash. Now Outdoor Boys’ Luke Nichols is telling grads how he survived
    By Sydney LakeJune 2, 2026
    10 hours ago
    Jeff Bezos’ 25-year-old stress cure is to ‘make the first phone call, or send the first email’— and a recruiter says it lands even harder in 2026
    Successwork-life balance
    Jeff Bezos’ 25-year-old stress cure is to ‘make the first phone call, or send the first email’— and a recruiter says it lands even harder in 2026
    By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 2, 2026
    10 hours ago
    job
    SuccessJobs
    As loyal Boomers win and job-switching Gen Zers lose, the labor market of 2026 reveals a decade of bad career advice
    By Nick LichtenbergJune 1, 2026
    1 day ago
    New Fed study shows remote work, not AI, is driving higher unemployment in younger workers
    Successunemployment
    New Fed study shows remote work, not AI, is driving higher unemployment in younger workers
    By The Associated Press and Christopher RugaberJune 1, 2026
    1 day ago

    Most Popular

    Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
    Environment
    Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
    By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 1, 2026
    23 hours ago
    The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 
    Energy
    The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 
    By Melissa HancockJune 1, 2026
    1 day ago
    Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
    Personal Finance
    Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
    By Joseph HostetlerJune 1, 2026
    1 day ago
    Current price of silver as of Monday, June 1, 2026
    Personal Finance
    Current price of silver as of Monday, June 1, 2026
    By Joseph HostetlerJune 1, 2026
    1 day ago
    After issuing more than $20 billion in tariff refunds, the Trump administration is now pursuing legal action to bring the process to a standstill
    Law
    After issuing more than $20 billion in tariff refunds, the Trump administration is now pursuing legal action to bring the process to a standstill
    By Sasha RogelbergJune 1, 2026
    1 day ago
    Cognizant CEO is swimming against the tide on AI: he's hiring over 20,000 graduates this year and says AI tokenmaxxing is a 'vanity metric'
    Conferences
    Cognizant CEO is swimming against the tide on AI: he's hiring over 20,000 graduates this year and says AI tokenmaxxing is a 'vanity metric'
    By Preston ForeJune 1, 2026
    17 hours 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.