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Estee Lauder Terminates Executive John Demsey Over Instagram Post

John Demsey’s Instagram item was a mock children’s-book cover
Cosmetics company says Demsey’s posts don’t reflect its values

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By Jeannette Neumann

February 28, 2022 at 2:50 PM UTC

Updated on

February 28, 2022 at 5:49 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Estee Lauder Cos. said it has terminated veteran executive John Demsey, days after placing him on leave over a social-media post that included a racial slur and a reference to the coronavirus.

Demsey, who is executive group president and oversees brands such as Clinique and Mac, will leave the company and retire as of March 4, Estee Lauder said in a regulatory filing on Monday.