International businessman, diplomat, public servant, Ronald Lauder has been deeply committed to his Jewish heritage throughout his adult life, working to help the Jewish community worldwide through a wide range of philanthropic and professional endeavors.
Ronald S. Lauder is the younger son of Estée and Joseph Lauder. In 1983, Mr. Lauder changed his career path and his life’s direction when he took leave from The Estée Lauder Companies to serve as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Europe and NATO. In 1986, he was appointed Ambassador to Austria by President Ronald Reagan.
Upon his return from Vienna, he established The Ronald S. Lauder Foundation, which now runs 20 Jewish schools, kindergartens and summer camps throughout 15 countries in Central and Eastern Europe. It was his experience in Austria that led to establishing the Foundation and his wider involvement in the Jewish world.
In 1986, Mr. Lauder visited Auschwitz-Birkenau for the first time and was shocked to see that the Nazi death camp had fallen into a terrible state of disrepair. Worried that the artifacts were disintegrating and would not be available for future generations to view, he immediately brought conservators from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to help preserve these historic objects. Mr. Lauder spearheaded the international campaign that raised $40M for the preservation of the remaining barracks, along with the mountains of shoes, suitcases, eyeglasses and other personal items that the Nazis took from Jewish victims before they were murdered. Mr. Lauder believes this effort is of utmost importance especially at a time of Holocaust deniers spreading their lies on the internet and growing anti-Semitism. With the passing of the last survivors Mr. Lauder believes the integrity of the camp must always be maintained and he serves as chairman of the Auschwitz Birkenau Memorial Foundation. He also served as a member of the International Auschwitz Council, which was established by the Polish government, from 2012 to 2018.
Among other responsibilities, Mr. Lauder has been president of the World Jewish Congress since 2007. In that capacity, Mr. Lauder regularly meets with heads of countries, diplomats and religious leaders, as the representive of Jewish communities in 100 countries around the world.
A renowned art collector, Mr. Lauder has established one of the world’s greatest private collections. In 2001, together with Serge Sabarsky, he founded the Neue Galerie in New York, a museum dedicated to early 20th century German and Austrian art and design, and serves as the museum’s president. Mr. Lauder established the Commission for Art Recovery in 1997, which advocates and fights for the recovery of Nazi looted art.
Mr. Lauder was born on February 26, 1944. He graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in New York and holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Lauder married Jo Carole Knopf in July of 1967. They have two children and two grandchildren. The family resides in New York City.
