Introduction: Welcome to the latest edition of Redefining the Flightpath, our podcast series celebrating women who are shaping the future of global travel retail and aviation. The Moodie Davitt Report Brands Director Hannah Tan speaks with The Estée Lauder Companies Regional Brand Director Victoria Foster, whose career has taken her from the beauty shop floor to a leadership role in one of the world’s top prestige beauty companies.
Having spent almost a decade with The Estée Lauder Companies and more than 25 years in beauty, Foster reflects on the experiences that shaped her career, the evolution of travel retail into a brand-building channel, and how she and the company are creating opportunities for women to lead.
She also discusses balancing executive leadership with motherhood, the culture that attracted her to The Estée Lauder Companies and why supporting the next generation is essential to the industry’s future.
Watch the YouTube video above for the full interview
From beauty shop floor to travel retail
From her beginnings behind a beauty counter to a leadership role with Estée Lauder, The Estée Lauder Companies Regional Brand Director Victoria Foster’s career has been defined by curiosity, resilience and a willingness to embrace new opportunities.
“I needed a part-time job while I was studying and wanted to work in an area I was genuinely passionate about.
“Beauty was the obvious choice, and that’s where my career began almost 26 years ago.”
Her work later took her to Dubai, where she returned to the beauty and personal care sector before joining The Estée Lauder Companies.
“I joined both The Estée Lauder Companies and the travel retail industry at the same time. It was a new chapter professionally, and one that has been incredibly rewarding.”
Having spent almost ten years with The Estée Lauder Companies, Foster has witnessed many shifts in how prestige beauty approaches travel retail.
“The business has evolved considerably, particularly through the travel retail lens,” she says. “We have moved beyond a transactional retail environment to creating much deeper consumer engagement and memorable brand experiences.”
Paying it circular
Asked about her own leadership journey, Foster underlines the importance of the support systems already in place within The Estée Lauder Companies.
“The company has provided an incredible platform for women in leadership,” she explains. “That support is embedded within the organisation’s culture and has played an important role in my own development.
“60% of our travel retail worldwide leadership team are women, which is an excellent place to start. More broadly, The Estée Lauder Companies is one of just 1% of Fortune 500 companies founded by a woman, so supporting and elevating women has always been part of our DNA.
“We have an incredible number of initiatives that support women across the organisation,” she continues. “From employee resource groups and mentoring programmes to our Breast Cancer Campaign, there are so many ways for people to connect, develop and support one another.
“We serve women every day through our brands, so it’s important that we truly understand their needs. Having women in leadership helps us remain connected to those changing expectations.”
Among the programmes Foster highlights is Open Doors, which brings together high-performing women from across different business functions to accelerate their leadership development. “Open Doors creates a community where women can share ideas, discuss challenges and learn from one another,” she explains.
Foster also credits the company’s Women’s Leadership Network with shaping her own approach to leadership. One lesson has stayed with her throughout her career.
“The biggest takeaway for me was the idea of pay it forward, pay it sideways and pay it circular.”
She explains, “It’s about supporting the people around you at every level. Whether someone is your manager, your peer or just beginning their career, everyone benefits when we actively help one another grow.
“I’m fortunate to work alongside many inspirational women across retailers, landlords and brand partners. Strong partnerships challenge us professionally and encourage us to keep raising the bar for one another.”
Balancing ambition and motherhood
While Foster describes herself as highly ambitious, she is equally candid about the realities of balancing executive leadership with family life.
“Performance has always been fundamental to me but so has continually seeking new learning opportunities and experiences. Going the extra mile has been a catalyst for my professional development.”
At the same time, she says, being the mother of an 11-year-old son requires constant prioritisation. “Balancing work and family is absolutely a challenge,” she says. “I don’t think anyone has completely figured it out. Every week involves making choices about where your time and energy need to be focused.”
Rather than viewing the two roles as contradictory, Foster believes they complement one another.
She explains: “I see being a working mother as an opportunity to be a role model for my son. I want him to understand what commitment, resilience and hard work look like, and that achieving your ambitions often requires sacrifice.”
Redefining the flightpath for women in travel retail
Foster believes meaningful progress has been made but says the wider travel retail industry can continue to strengthen its support for women in leadership.
“The first step is recognising that there is an opportunity,” she says. “Conversations like these are important because they create awareness and give women greater visibility.
“It has to be frequent and consistent. It’s not about having one conference or one conversation; it’s about making it part of the fabric of our industry.”
Celebrating success stories, she adds, is equally important. “We need to continue spotlighting women who are succeeding across travel retail. That’s what will encourage more people to see this industry as somewhere they can build an exciting and rewarding career,” she says.
Perhaps most importantly, Foster’s commitment to “paying it circular” underlines a central theme of Redefining the Flightpath: that advancing gender equality requires more than celebrating successful women; it requires creating pathways for others to lead. ✈
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