Bettencourt was the daughter of Eugene Schueller, founder of the L’Oréal group. She passed away 21 September aged 94, having been one of the global beauty giant’s principal shareholders following her father’s death in 1957.
She had served as the company’s board director until 2012, when she was succeeded by her grandson Jean-Victor.
As various obituaries note, during the final few decades of her life, Bettencourt was the centre of various scandals related to politics, finance and family that captured the media and public imagination in France. A central focus of these was the now in famous ‘Bettencourt Affair’.
Leaving a legacy
Jean-Paul Agon, current CEO of the L’Oréal Group, released a statement on the death of Bettencourt, acknowledging the contribution she made to the company over the decades.
“I have just learned with great sadness the passing of Mrs Liliane Bettencourt, daughter of Eugène Schueller, founder of the L'Oréal Group,” he said last week.
“All of L'Oréal's employees join me in expressing our most sincere condolences and affectionate thoughts in these sad moments to Mrs. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, Mr. Jean-Pierre Meyers, and their two sons Jean-Victor and Nicolas.”
Agon noted the group recognises her impact onto the development and growth of the company from its founding to its present dominance as the market leader across the globe.
“We all had a great admiration for Liliane Bettencourt who always looked after L'Oréal, the company and its employees, and was very attached to its success and development. She has personally contributed greatly to its success for many years.
“Mrs Liliane Bettencourt was a great lady of beauty who has left us and whom we will never forget.”