Estée Lauder Companies appoints SVP/General Manager Northern & Western Europe

By Amanda May | Published: 8-Jul-2025
Finance

Franck Besnard, previously ELC’s General Manager for France, has been entrusted with the US beauty giant’s Northern and Western Europe regions

Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has tapped company veteran Franck Besnard to lead the Northern and Western Europe regions of the business. 

Besnard, who has served as the US beauty giant’s General Manager for France since 2020, has been promoted to SVP/General Manager Northern & Western Europe.

He undertakes this new role while continuing to oversee directly FBNL as General Manager.

Besnard announced his promotion on LinkedIn on 6 July, commenting: “I am pleased to announce that I am starting a new position as SVP/General Manager Northern & Western Europe.” 

He has more than 20 years experience working for ELC, having held senior leadership roles on brands such as Benelux, Clinique and Tom Ford Beauty. 

Besnard started his career at ELC in 2003 as a National Sales Manager, before working his way up the ladder. 

His most notable positions have been Director General France for Tom Ford Beauty from 2007 to 2009, and Regional Director EMEA for Clinique from 2012 to 2014.

Not to mention ELC’s VP General Manager of the Middle East from 2018 to 2020, and ELC’s President France from 2020 to May 2025. 

Besnard’s appointment is the latest in a wave of executive-level adjustments at the beauty company as part of its broader transformation plan.

ELC is on a mission to restore the company’s sales growth after reporting some lacklustre financial quarters, partly due to challenging trading conditions in Asia.

This course-correcting plan has included slashing more than 7,000 jobs to help improve profitability. 

Some of the latest people reorganisation at the company includes Lisa Sequino being appointed to the newly created role of President, Makeup Brand Cluster.

Sara Staniford has been named VP & General Manager, Makeup & Artistry Cluster, at ELC UK & Ireland.

Brian Franz has been tapped as ELC’s first Chief Technology, Data and Analytics Officer to help get sales back on track.

Meanwhile, Michael Bowes was named ELC’s first-ever Executive VP, Chief People Officer, to oversee culture building at the US beauty giant.

The company has even signed its first-ever sleep expert to better understand the ‘impact’ poor sleep has on skin. 

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