Olivier Bottrie promoted to major new role leading The Estée Lauder Companies’ retail development globally

Olivier Bottrie pictured after being appointed to the French National Order of Merit in early 2015.

The Estée Lauder Companies has promoted its President, Travel Retail Worldwide Olivier Bottrie to a new enhanced role to include the strategic development of the company’s retail stores globally.

Effective October 1, 2017, Bottrie will assume the position of Global President, Travel Retail and Retail Development. He will continue to report directly to Cedric Prouvé, Group President, International with an added matrix line to Chris Good, President, North America for his new retail responsibilities.

Bottrie, hugely respected within the travel retail channel, will continue to serve as a member of the company’s Executive Leadership Team.

The Estée Lauder Companies said: “Mr Bottrie is ideally suited to lead Retail Development globally given his highly successful and significant contributions to company performance as President, Travel Retail Worldwide, a role he has held since 2004.

“Mr. Bottrie’s extensive global retail expertise is expected to help further diversify and profitably grow the company’s freestanding store portfolio which includes more than 1,400 directly operated retail stores around the world.

“In this role, he is well positioned to further strengthen retail operational excellence and efficiency, drive increased consumer coverage and strategic expansion of freestanding stores, enable enhanced omnichannel experiences, and imagine and develop future retail store models.”

The Estée Lauder Companies said that Bottrie and his global team have tripled sales over the past ten years in this “highly competitive and volatile channel” of travel retail, ending FY17 with its best growth in five years.

Prouve said: “Retail Development is central to our growth strategy, and Olivier’s extensive background in retail will help our company continue creating new, innovative and elevated prestige retail experiences for our global consumers. Olivier’s deep understanding of the consumer journey will help inspire new omnichannel opportunities and accelerate growth in retail stores.”

The Estée Lauder Companies said that Bottrie and his global team have tripled sales over the past ten years in this “highly competitive and volatile channel” of travel retail, ending FY17 with its best growth in five years. “This success reflects Mr. Bottrie’s ability to expand the company’s brand portfolio by continually making the right strategic choices to bring the company’s products and services to traveling consumers,” it noted.

Chris Good, President, North America, added, “Olivier is recognised as a strong and agile leader who swiftly adapts to changing demands and who focuses his team on the areas of highest potential to drive success. He develops talent and builds high performance teams to achieve business goals. Our company’s commitment to Retail Development will greatly benefit from Olivier’s growth mindset, his consistent ability to pivot to the fastest-growing opportunities and his strong leadership skills.”

Bottrie has been with The Estée Lauder Companies for over 20 years, holding positions of increasing responsibility throughout his tenure. He served as Regional Vice President, Field Sales North East, Estée Lauder, supervising several of the brand’s major retail accounts nationally; he also served as Vice President/General Manager, Aramis and Designer Fragrances’ International division and Vice President/General Manager, Travel Retail Americas.

Prior to joining the company, Bottrie held various positions at Yves Saint Laurent Beauté and served in the French Military as 2nd Lieutenant and Platoon Leader, 6th Marine Parachute Regiment.

Deeply passionate about helping others, Bottrie received the National Order of Merit of France and the National Order of Honor and Merit of Haiti. He was appointed Goodwill Ambassador of the Republic of Haiti in October 2015 for co-founding and leading Hand in Hand for Haiti, a non-profit organisation whose mission is to build and operate a sustainable school in Haiti.

Footnote: Olivier Bottrie will speak on the subject of Corporate Social Responsibility at the forthcoming Trinity Forum in Bangkok (November 1-5)

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