Alan George "A. G." Lafley (born June 13, 1947) is an American businessman who led consumer goods maker Procter & Gamble (P&G) for two separate stints, from 2000 to 2010 and again from 2013 to 2015, during which he served as chairman, president and CEO.
[6] But he also brought in several new brands, like Swiffer and Febreze, by merging P&G's internal resources with outside “open” innovation, referred to as Connect + Develop.
In 1970, after beginning a doctoral program at the University of Virginia,[11] he took a commission with the U.S. Navy as a supply officer during the Vietnam War stationed in Japan.
In 1999, P&G named Lafley to head the fast-growing beauty business as well as all of North American sales, which was its largest single market at the time.
[15] As a result, Jager had the shortest CEO tenure in P&G history, resigning and was quickly replaced with Lafley in June 2000.
[23] Lafley is credited with making P&G a more consumer-driven and externally focused company—and with shaping a far more diverse, open, curious and courageous, connected and collaborative culture in which "innovation is everyone’s job.
In addition, he consulted on business and innovation strategy, and executive leadership development, and coached experienced, new and potential CEOs.
[26] From his retirement, June 30, 2016, to the present, Lafley has served as a board member and investor in a number of start up, early stage and private companies including AmberSemi, Figs, Omeza, Snap, Tulco, and US Innovative Technologies, LLC.
[27] In addition, he chaired the master planning and served as founding CEO of the Bay Park Conservancy, the nonprofit private development, fundraising, and management partner of the City of Sarasota.
[36][37] In 2008, Lafley and strategy consultant Ram Charan published The Game Changer, an operating manager's guide to turning innovation into strategic advantage.