Ian Cook

Former Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Colgate-palmolive

Search every verified Ian Cook interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a 2011 lecture at George Washington University, Ian Cook, then Chairman, President and CEO of Colgate-Palmolive, discussed the company's approach to sustainability and acquisitions. Cook stated that the company had reduced its number of factories from over 130 to fewer than 60 over the prior 15 years, and that new equipment allowed it to produce more product while using 30 percent less water. He said the company was "not in the business of making money from money" but rather "in the business of selling one tube of toothpaste at a time," and described acquisitions as a "strategic process" where one should "don't pay too much." Cook also emphasized the importance of corporate culture, saying "the older I get the more I believe in culture" and that it "determines the consistent strength of a company." He noted that building a robust culture takes time but can be destroyed by "one thoughtless act," making recovery difficult both internally and externally.