Pauline Brown

Pauline Brown is the pioneer of the Business of Aesthetics and the founder of Aesthetic Intelligence, a platform dedicated to helping leaders build more resonant, differentiated, and enduring brands.

She is the former Chairman of LVMH North America, where she provided regional leadership for more than 70 luxury brands across fashion, beauty, wines & spirits, watches & jewelry, and specialty retail. Prior to LVMH, she was a Managing Director at The Carlyle Group, specializing in buyouts in the retail and consumer sectors. Earlier in her career, she held senior executive roles at Estée Lauder and Avon. She began her career as a Strategy Consultant at Bain & Company.

Pauline is the author of the groundbreaking book Aesthetic Intelligence (Harper Collins), which introduced a new framework for building world-class brands. The book grew out of a course she has taught at Harvard Business School and Columbia Business School, and continues to shape how leaders harness aesthetics to unlock value and secure long-term advantage.

In addition to her operational leadership, she has served on several corporate boards, including Neiman Marcus Group, Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, and Moncler SpA. She currently serves on the advisory board of the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Neuroaesthetics. She also hosts a weekly podcast on SiriusXM and publishes a weekly newsletter on Substack, which explores how tastes shape what people buy, build, and love.

Pauline received her B.A. from Dartmouth College and her M.B.A. from the Wharton School. Since 2008, she has been a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.