NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 30, 2026--
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE: EL) today announced a new strategic partnership with Microsoft Corp. to advance its cloud and data foundation and support the responsible adoption of AI-enabled capabilities across the enterprise. The collaboration will help connect data and intelligent tools to support faster innovation, more efficient operations, and more relevant consumer experiences.
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This new partnership is a critical part of The Estée Lauder Companies’ One Operating Ecosystem, which brings together shared platforms, connected data, and best-in-class partners to enable consistent, scalable, and effective execution across the enterprise.
A key initiative of this expanded partnership is harnessing the Microsoft platform to advance the company’s Unified Data Platform. This foundation is the core enabler for AI and agility—connecting the company's data across brands, regions, channels, and functions to reduce duplication, enable reusable data products, and create more consistent access to data-driven insights.
“As we continue to execute on Beauty Reimagined, we are building the future of consumer-centricity—in our products, experiences, commerce, and more,” said Brian Franz, Chief Technology and Transformation Officer, The Estée Lauder Companies. "Our partnership with Microsoft, in addition to the other strategic partners in our One Operating Ecosystem, is powering our teams with the capabilities to ultimately deliver more relevant, personalized experiences that meet consumers’ evolving needs. These enhanced capabilities will help us drive sustainable growth, improve productivity, and support margin expansion, creating capacity to reinvest into our enterprise to serve our consumers.”
“The future of the beauty industry will be shaped by organizations like the Estée Lauder Companies that connect data, people, and AI responsibly,” said Deb Cupp, EVP and Chief Revenue Officer, Microsoft. “Our expanded collaboration will help turn insights into action at scale—from empowering employees to modernizing product development and delivering more meaningful consumer experiences.”
This shared foundation will support The Estée Lauder Companies’ continued development of AI-enabled capabilities in support of its three strategic priorities: New Capabilities & Growth, Decision Intelligence, and Productivity & Automation.
New Capabilities & Growth
Through its work with Microsoft, the company is strengthening the data foundation for an AI-enabled consumer ecosystem. The company is investing in its Unified Consumer Data Platform to deepen understanding of consumer needs and preferences, supporting more personalized experiences. Together with connected product data, this foundation is designed to enable consistent, relevant experiences in real time—from discovery to purchase—helping its brands meet consumers wherever they choose to engage or transact. This flexible foundation, which connects consumer and product data, gives brands the agility to launch and adapt experiences, future proofing the company as new technologies and shopping behaviors emerge. Drawing on 80 years of proprietary consumer understanding and beauty expertise, this foundation also fuels new product innovation, helping the company create differentiated products tailored to consumer needs.
Decision Intelligence
To advance Decision Intelligence, the company is embedding AI in workflows and building a shared enterprise foundation that strengthens connectivity across functions. This connected foundation makes trusted data and insights more accessible and gives teams a common understanding of the business. By connecting these insights to end-to-end workflows, teams across marketing, commercial, value chain, and R&I can make faster, more coordinated decisions in response to changing consumer and market needs. Specifically, the company is reimagining how products move from idea to launch in the value chain by developing a connected, AI-powered workflow across design, validation, and manufacturing—enabling faster, smarter decisions that help deliver innovation to consumers more efficiently.
Productivity & Automation
The company is equipping employees with secure AI tools including Microsoft Copilot and automating repetitive, manual work so teams can move faster and focus on strategy, innovation, and higher-value decision-making. The Estée Lauder Companies has expanded Copilot across its global office-based workforce, reaching more than 14,000 employees. As employees advance into more sophisticated use cases, they are experimenting with productivity agents and embedding AI into role-specific workflows. This human-first approach to AI enablement is helping employees reimagine how they work and increase capacity for growth and innovation.
The Estée Lauder Companies’ long-term strategic partnership with Microsoft supports the company’s Beauty Reimagined strategy, bringing together technology, data, and AI to strengthen consumer centricity, accelerate innovation, improve productivity, and create sustainable value. As the company enters its next chapter, this collaboration will help scale high-impact capabilities and support growth with greater speed, agility, and efficiency.
About The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. is one of the world’s leading manufacturers, marketers and sellers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care products, and is a steward of luxury and prestige brands globally. The company’s products are sold in approximately 150 countries and territories under brand names including: Estée Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Lab Series, Origins, M·A·C, La Mer, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Aveda, Jo Malone London, Bumble and bumble, Darphin Paris, TOM FORD, Smashbox, AERIN Beauty, Le Labo, Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, GLAMGLOW, KILIAN PARIS, Too Faced, Dr.Jart+, the DECIEM family of brands, including The Ordinary and NIOD, and BALMAIN Beauty.
The Estée Lauder Companies and Microsoft Announce a New Strategic Partnership to Power Enterprise Efficiency and Consumer-Centric Growth
MONTREAL (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday he expects to conclude negotiations with the European Union in June to make Canada the bloc’s first “associate member,” as both sides forge an unprecedented alliance to protect their sovereignty in a changing world order.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and threats against traditional allies have accelerated efforts by Canada and Europe to reduce their dependence on Washington and strengthen their economic and security ties.
“What brings us together goes far beyond geography. We see the world through the same eyes,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. “These headwinds won’t stop blowing. This change is permanent.”
Carney said the alliance would help Canada and Europe withstand economic pressure and make their own decisions rather than be dictated to by more powerful countries.
Trump has suggested Canada’s proposed EU arrangement could be a “hostile act” and threatened tariffs on Europe if he considered it unfriendly.
Asked whether Trump could eventually be invited to join the alliance, Carney did not directly answer but insisted it was not aimed against any country.
“It is about reinforcing sovereignty. Why? So we can live our lives as we choose, our people can live their lives as they choose and have the full freedoms that people enjoy in the European Union and in Canada,” Carney said.
“It’s not against anything, it’s for,” he said.
Carney, von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa launched the “Alliance for the Future” at the end of a two-day summit in Montreal, announcing progress on digital trade, European investment in Canadian critical minerals and artificial intelligence.
“Today we move toward associate membership for Canada, and we launch a new alliance for the future,” Carney said.
But the joint declaration made no mention of associate membership, despite both Carney and von der Leyen championing the designation. Instead, the leaders agreed to define an “ever-closer association” by their next summit in 2027.
Carney said Canadian Cabinet ministers and European commissioners would meet in March before he attends European Council meetings in June, where he intends to conclude negotiations on the proposed relationship. Costa confirmed the invitation and said more details would be announced then.
Von der Leyen said Friday there was broad support for bringing Canada closer to the EU, despite disagreement over what to call the relationship.
“On one thing I’m absolutely sure, having spoken about it in the last weeks, is the broad support of having Canada much, much closer to the European Union,” she said.
Canada and the EU already have a free-trade agreement that eliminated most tariffs. They wrapped up negotiations Friday on a new digital trade agreement to make it easier for businesses to sell across the Atlantic.
Canada also signed an agreement allowing the European Investment Bank to finance Canadian critical minerals projects, potentially opening a new source of investment for the country’s mining industry.
Canada will also join a European supercomputing initiative that Carney said could transform research. He said Europe’s JUPITER supercomputer could complete in one day calculations that would take Canada’s most powerful research computer six months.
“A tech startup in Vancouver will have a smoother path to customers in Berlin,” Carney said. “Bottom line: less red tape, more growth, more opportunity.”
The two sides also concluded negotiations on a competition agreement intended to curb anti-competitive practices and lower prices for consumers. They will explore linking their instant-payment systems to make cross-border transfers faster and cheaper.
The broader Alliance for the Future could eventually include other like-minded countries, with Canada and the EU at its core.
Costa said the two sides wanted to create a relationship unlike any previous EU partnership with a country outside the bloc.
“Our relationship is so special that we want to create something new: to go beyond a simple association, everything short of full EU membership,” Costa said.
The leaders also agreed to study the feasibility of exporting Canadian liquefied natural gas to Europe and explore new undersea cables connecting Canada, Europe and Asia.
Canada and the EU will begin negotiations on expanding Canadian participation in Erasmus+, the European student exchange program, and explore ways to make it easier for young people to study and work across the Atlantic.
The two sides also agreed on a new border security arrangement and pledged closer cooperation on defense, cybersecurity, Arctic security and countering foreign interference.
The United States accounted for 71.7% of Canada’s merchandise exports in 2025. Carney wants to double exports to other countries over the next decade.
Prime Minister Mark Carney participates in a trilateral meeting during the EU-Canada summit in Montreal on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. (Christinne Muschi /The Canadian Press via AP)
Prime Minister Mark Carney, right, gestures as he arrives with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa for their closing press conference at the EU-Canada summit in Montreal on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. (Christinne Muschi /The Canadian Press via AP)
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, centre, arrives at the Canada-EU Summit with President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, left, and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in Montreal, Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
Canada Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand, right and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas pose after signing the Canada-EU Host Country Agreement in Montreal, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
Signage for the Canada-EU summit, in Montreal, is seen on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
Canada Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand, right and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas sign the Canada-EU Host Country Agreement in Montreal, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney looks on during a roundtable meeting with business leaders during the Canada-EU Summit, in Montreal, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, right, gives remarks alongside Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney at a roundtable with business leaders during the Canada-EU Summit in Montreal, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
