Pauline Brown

Throughout her career Pauline Brown has helped to acquire, build and lead global luxury brands.She is the author of the forthcoming business book, “Aesthetic Intelligence: How to Boost It and Use It in Business and Beyond,” which will be released this November by HarperCollins. The book is based on a graduate school course that Pauline designed and taught at The Harvard Business School from 2016 through 2017. In addition to lecturing and writing, Pauline has been advising corporate clients such as Samsung, BMW and Marriott International on brand strategy, experiential marketing and customer relationship management. Since 2016, she also has been hosting a weekly lifestyle show on SiriusXM, called “Tastemakers,” on which she interviews creative leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs and influencers.

Prior to 2016, Pauline was the Chairman of North America at LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, where she provided regional leadership for 70 brands in 5 sectors, including fashion & leather goods, watches & jewelry, perfumes & cosmetics, wines & spirits, and selective retailing. While at LVMH, Pauline also served on the Board of Directors of L Capital, a private equity fund backed by LVMH, as well as the Boards of several LVMH-backed companies, including Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Fresh Cosmetics and the online luxury retailer Moda Operandi.

In addition to her operational experience in the luxury sector, Pauline has been an active investor in luxury brands. Before joining LVMH, she was a Managing Director at the global private equity firm, The Carlyle Group, where she helped to build the firm’s consumer and retail practice. While at Carlyle, Pauline invested in and served on the boards of portfolio companies, including the European sportswear brand Moncler and the American beauty brand Philosophy.

Earlier in her career, Pauline held senior executive positions at leading cosmetics companies, including The Estee Lauder Companies and Avon Products. While at Estee Lauder Pauline was in charge of all mergers and acquisitions and helped to expand the company’s portfolio from 8 to 25 distinct beauty brands. She began her career as a strategy consultant at Bain & Company.

Pauline currently serves as an independent director of several boards, including the venture-backed online fashion marketplace Shoptiques.com. In the non-profit arena she sits on the Board of Overseers of the Aspen Institute’s Henry Crown Fellowship and the Board of Governors of the Parsons School of Design. Since 2008, she has been a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute, which seeks to develop the next-generation of community-spirited leaders.

Pauline received a B.A. from Dartmouth College and M.B.A. from the Wharton School, and she is a member of Wharton’s Executive Alumni Board.