Avon President Announces Departure

Avon Products Inc. announces that President Elizabeth Smith has made the decision to leave the company effective October 30, 2009, to pursue her long-time leadership aspiration to be a chief executive officer. Avon said Smith made this decision following a highly successful five-year career with the company, during which she played an instrumental role in repositioning the business for long-term sustainable growth.

 

Smith joined Avon in January 2005 as Executive Vice President and Brand President. In August 2005, she added responsibility for leadership of North America. In September 2007, she was named President, Avon Products Inc., with responsibility for leading the company's global Marketing, Supply Chain and Information Technology business units, and later also assumed oversight for global Sales.

 

The company said that with Smith's departure, the global business units that reported to her will now report directly to Andrea Jung, Avon's chairman and chief executive officer. Jung will also continue to oversee the company's commercial operations. The company said that it has no immediate plans to replace Smith in her current role.