Chanel’s former president and chief operation officer, Arie Kopelman, died at the age of 86 from pancreatic cancer.
 
He is survived by his wife, Coco, daughter Jill Kargman, son Will Kopelman, and six grandchildren.
 
Kopelman joined Chanel in 1985 as president and chief operation officer. While at the company, he contributed to large sales growth by remodeling stores, increasing ad spend, attracting new customers with lower prices, and building the Chanel skincare business.
 
When Kopelman joined, sales were $357 million. When owners Alain Wertheimer and Gerard Wertheimer stepped down in 2004, sales reached $7 billion. 
 
In 2004, Kopelman retired and served as vice chairman for four years. He was succeeded by Maureen Chiquet. 
 
Kopelman began his career at Procter & Gamble. After three years, he joined Doyle Dane Bernbach ad agency. During his 20 years at DDB Worldwide, Kopelman rose from account executive to vice chairman.
 
Throughout his career, Kopelman worked with many charities and nonprofit organizations. 
He served on the board of overseers at Columbia Business School, St. Bernard’s School for Boys in New York, the Municipal Arts Society, and East Side Settlement House.
 
President Ronald Regan also appointed him to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
 
In 2022, Kopelman received the Legacy Award during the Personal Care Product Council’s Look Good Feel Better Beauty Cares DreamBall. 

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Photo: Wikipedia