NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 13, 2002--Clinique Laboratories, Inc. announced today that Eunice Valdivia, currently Executive Vice President, Global Marketing and Finance, has been named President of North America for the brand.

The newly created position reflects the brand's strength in the North American market as one of the leading prestige skincare treatment and makeup brands. The appointment will be effective January 1, 2003.

"No one is more closely identified with Clinique and its unique branding message than Eunice Valdivia," says Philip Shearer, Group President, The Estee Lauder Companies Inc., whose responsibility for Clinique will also be effective on January 1.

William P. Lauder, the current Group President for Clinique, added, "Eunice has been an essential part of Clinique since its inception and has been a driving force in the success and growth of the brand. It's wonderful that she will now bring her passion, leadership and understanding of the brand's intricacies to the North American operation." Eunice will oversee Sales, Promotion, Marketing Services, Brand Operations for North America as well as the Global Sales Education area, while Global Marketing, Finance and Clinique International will report directly to Philip Shearer.

Eunice joined Clinique in 1969, one year after it was launched, working directly with Carol Phillips, the brand's founder and author of its unique voice and presence. As Eunice's partnership with Carol progressed, she developed the marketing and finance areas of the brand. With a distinctive talent for these diverse areas, Ms. Valdivia rose to the position of Executive Vice President, Global Marketing and Finance and has been instrumental in helping to develop and build the powerful Clinique franchise. Always in search of innovative programs, Ms. Valdivia defined and grew Clinique's cornerstone 3-Step System - Facial Soap, Clarifying Lotion and Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion - a bottle of which is sold about every 3.5 seconds around the world. Today, Clinique is the number one prestige brand in department stores in the USA and Canada as well as the number one or two prestige cosmetic brand in many international markets.

In a related move, the brand also announced that Kim Fiore, currently Regional Vice President for Clinique headquartered in Dallas, will be named Senior Vice President, National Sales Manager, Clinique Laboratories, Inc., effective January 1, 2003. Ms. Fiore joined Clinique September 1989 as an Account Executive in Raleigh, North Carolina. She will report to Ms. Valdivia and will relocate to the New York office.

Clinique was founded in 1968 in conjunction with Dr. Norman Orentreich, a leading NY dermatologist, and is known worldwide for its allergy tested, 100% fragrance free skin care and makeup products. If 3-Step were its own brand, it would be the fifth largest brand in US department stores. Clinique Laboratories, Inc. is a subsidiary of The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.

The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. is one of the world's leading manufacturers and marketers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care products. The Company's products are sold in over 120 countries and territories under well-recognized brand names, including Estee Lauder, Clinique, Aramis, Prescriptives, Origins, M A C, Bobbi Brown, Tommy Hilfiger, La Mer, jane, Donna Karan, Aveda, Stila, Jo Malone and Bumble and bumble.

An electronic version of this release can be found at the Company's Website, www.elcompanies.com.

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