Petruzzo to Succeed Charles Delapalme at Christian Dior Couture
Benedetta Petruzzo, currently the CEO of Miu Miu, has been named the new Managing Director of Christian Dior Couture, effective October 15. Petruzzo will report directly to Delphine Arnault, Chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture.
Petruzzo will take over the role from Charles Delapalme, who will be transitioning to “important new responsibilities within the LVMH Group,” although details of his next position have yet to be disclosed. Delphine Arnault expressed her gratitude for Delapalme’s contributions, noting his role in enhancing Dior’s desirability since 2018.
Delapalme has a long history with LVMH, having joined Louis Vuitton in 2005, initially focusing on the North American market. He later moved to Fendi in 2012, where he ultimately became managing director of retail and wholesale.
Petruzzo’s appointment marks a significant step in the ongoing management renewal at Dior under Arnault, who took on the role of chairman and CEO in February 2023. Her hiring also underscores the ability of top luxury brands to attract CEO-level talent without necessarily conferring that title. Earlier this year, Dior brought on Montblanc’s former CEO Nicolas Baretzki as deputy managing director in charge of commercial activities, a newly created position.
The recruitment of high-caliber executives like Petruzzo is seen as part of LVMH’s broader succession planning strategy, which emphasizes internal promotion. Currently, 70 percent of key positions at LVMH are filled internally, with women now holding almost half of these roles.
“I am deeply honored to join Dior. I am proud to have been entrusted with this great responsibility and to join such an iconic house,” Petruzzo said in a statement. “I would like to warmly thank Delphine Arnault for the trust she has given me, and I look forward to collaborating closely with the executive committee and the zone presidents to further contribute to the development of Dior’s business.”
Petruzzo took the reins at Miu Miu in February 2020, just before the global onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under her leadership, Miu Miu has seen significant growth, with retail sales surging 93 percent in the first half of this year, outpacing the growth at Prada, which recorded a 6 percent increase over the same period.
Before her time at Prada Group, Petruzzo served as executive vice president for North America at Kering Eyewear, where she spent five years. She holds degrees in business administration and a master of science in management from Bocconi University in Milan. Petruzzo began her career in finance before moving into management consultancy with Bain & Co., where she focused on the retail and luxury sectors.