Jane Lauder is betting big on pet start-ups.
The granddaughter of beauty tycoon Estée Lauder revealed her business venture on LinkedIn on Friday, less than a year after stepping down from her post as chief data officer and executive vice president of enterprise marketing at the Estée Lauder Cos.
“After nearly three decades of leadership in the beauty industry, I’m excited to share a new chapter,” Lauder wrote. “This year, I founded TAW Ventures — an investment firm dedicated to advancing pet health, wellness and longevity through strategic investments in brands that are reimagining the way we care for our animals.”
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Lauder’s personal motivation in pursuing animal care stems from her relationship with her own dog, Thaddeus Alistair Warsh, after which her new venture firm is named. She said she found “a fast-growing community of passionate founders creating thoughtful, high-integrity products” through taking a closer look at the quality of Thaddeus’ health and well-being.
The former president of Clinique went on to say she plans to uphold the same safety and efficacy standards she learned from working at Estée Lauder with the brands and products under TAW Ventures.
“TAW Ventures’ mission is to help Thaddeus — and all pets — live their longest, happiest, healthiest lives by investing in exceptional, trustworthy products and supporting the advancement of vital research initiatives. TAW believes purpose-driven capital is the key to unlocking scalable and sustainable impact,” Lauder wrote.
Before Lauder announced her departure from the family business in October 2024, she was seen as a top candidate to become president and chief executive officer of Estée Lauder, succeeding Fabrizio Freda, who had revealed plans to retire before 2026. Indeed, she took herself out of the running, and three days after she confirmed her leave, former executive group president Stéphane de La Faverie was named the next CEO. That same day, William Lauder stepped down from his role as executive chairman of the company, but remained as chair of the board of directors.
In an internal memo obtained by WWD regarding her resignation, Lauder said, “The company is embarking on a necessary and fundamental turnaround. I have thought about how I can be most effective in helping the company reclaim its rightful position as the world’s leader in prestige beauty and restore long-term shareholder value.”
Lauder is still a board member and active shareholder of Estée Lauder.
The news of Lauder’s next big business move comes just four months after her uncle, Leonard Lauder, died at age 92.