Lauren A. Freedman passed away on January 4, from complications related to her struggle with cancer.  She was 52.  Lauren enjoyed a 20-plus year career in the cosmetics industry, specializing in sales and marketing for a number of prestige brands.
 
She held various senior management positions, each with greater levels of responsibilities, at The Estee Lauder Companies from 1987-2001.  Her last assignment at Lauder was that of Vice President of Sales, Education and Retail Marketing for Prescriptives.

Following her time at The Estee Lauder Companies, Lauren held the position of Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Cradle Holdings Inc., a luxury beauty brand company formed in late 2001 by Fox Paine, a private equity firm in San Francisco.  Its prominent prestige brands included Penhaligon’s Apothecary, L’Artisan Parfumeur, and Erno Laszlo Skincare.  Lauren was responsible for developing and maintaining key relationships with senior merchants at large specialty stores in the U.S. and Europe. 

In 2005 Lauren founded her own consultancy business, clé Global Cosmetic Services, which specialized in planning sales and developing and implementing strategic global marketing plans for prestige brands.  In addition, Lauren provided retail strategy and operations support to The Young Group, a global marketing, product development company.

Lauren will be deeply missed by her family and friends.  She leaves behind her devoted husband Douglas Bolton.  A private service will be held at the end of the month.