Lauren Paris Senior Vice President, Guest Experience at KCD
KCD announced the promotion of Lauren Paris to Senior Vice President, Guest Experience. Lauren is currently VP of the Guest Experience Group which she has led since 2018.
The Guest Experience Group is responsible for executing a high caliber front of house experience for brand activations and events. This includes curated guest lists, optimized flow logistics, red carpet execution, event press amplification as well as VIP and talent management. Lauren is a fifteen-year veteran of KCD and has led the Group’s most iconic events including the Grand Opening of Hudson Yards, Ralph Lauren’s 50th Anniversary in Central Park, Hermes Love Around the Block, the annual CFDA Awards as well as fashion shows including Gucci’s Love Parade on Hollywood Boulevard, and seasonal shows for Coach, Jason Wuand Prabal Gurung to name a few.
”In her fifteen years at KCD, Lauren has played an integral part in developing our capabilities in the guest experience side of events,” says Rachna Shah, Partner and Managing Director, KCD. “Her ability to lead the team to execute seamlessly and help clients maximize the potential of these events has played a key role in her success at the agency. To her credit, Lauren’s accomplishments in new business development has accounted for a 60% revenue increase over the past year alone. The Guest Experience Group is a significant part of our business, and we see continued growth potential under Lauren’s leadership.”
As SVP, Paris will focus on development of the Guest Experience Group while providing support to the senior leadership team and cultivating client relations for the agency as a whole.
Maison Margiela announced Stefano Rosso Chairman & Gaetano Sciuto CEO
Stefano Rosso has been announced Chairman of Maison Margiela. Rosso is currently CEO of Brave Virtual Xperience, a division of OTB focused on Web3 and the metaverse, and a member of the OTB board.
Gaetano Sciuto has been announced the new CEO of Maison Margiela succeeding Gianfranco Gianangeli. Sciuto currently is Chief Executive Officer of Americas at Giorgio Armani Corporation. Previosly, Sciuto was at Fendi as President Fendi Americas and prior to that Licenses & Accessories Division Director.
“Stefano’s new role and Gaetano’s arrival will be decisive in boosting the potential of the brand and steering it into its next stage of expansion,” OTB Group Chairman Renzo Rosso said in a statement.
Sciuto and Rosso will report to OTB Group CEO Ubaldo Minelli.
“We are delighted to welcome Stefano to the chairmanship of Maison Margiela and Gaetano to the OTB Group, a manager with enormous experience of the luxury business. I want to thank Gianfranco for his work over the years,” – Ubaldo Minelli, OTB Group CEO.
Matteo Lena New Diesel CEO For North America
Diesel, a company part of the OTB Group, has announced the appointment of Matteo Lena as the brand’s new CEO for North America.
Mr Lena, who will bring over 20 years of experience in the fashion and luxury industry, will take up his post on 5 June 2023.
“Matteo Lena is a manager with wide international experience, and we are delighted to welcome him to Diesel. He will be responsible for harnessing the great potential of the North American market, where Diesel has its global roots,” said Diesel founder Renzo Rosso.
Before joining Diesel, Matteo Lena was Senior Vice President Brand Manager Americas and previously Senior Vice President Retail North America at Giorgio Armani Corp. He has also held international managerial roles at Benetton and Geox. He has a degree in Business Administration from the University of Turin, Italy.
Julia Leach Chief Creative Officer at Athleta, Departs La DoubleJ
Gap announced Julia Leach as its new Chief Creative Officer. Leach, recently chief brand officer at La DoubleJ, is also the co-founder of Sublime, a strategic brand studio based in Los Angeles.
“Delivering the best product for our customers is the highest priority, and while the team is focused on making improvements in the assortment, we know it will take time for those changes to fully take hold. While we continue our search for a new leader for Athleta, we are leveraging the great talent currently at the brand, including our new chief creative officer, Julia Leach, as well as some of our best merchandising and product talent from across our portfolio of brands. Collectively, they are leaning in and making improvements where we can, including better presentation of the product that is working, and elevating our marketing and creative expression. And across Gap, Inc., we are still watching the channel shifts closely.” – Bob Martin, Chairman/Interim CEO at Gap Inc.
“Onward… I’m excited and honored to be stepping into the Chief Creative Officer role at Athleta, a fitness and wellbeing brand that has been by women, for women since its inception. The opportunity to evolve and scale this very special brand is a dream challenge at this point in my career. To join wonderful partners and a team that is committed to being a part of this transformational era is a thrill, and I feel quietly confident that we’ll continue to inspire active women and girls to fulfill their potential and prioritize their multi-dimensional wellbeing. The icing on top? Athleta is a B Corp committed to creating positive social and environmental impact. I’m grateful to the leaders and Board that have invited me to help write Athleta’s next chapter. Let’s go!” – Julia Leach
Julia’s farewell to La DoubleJ, “After two amazing years in Milan partnering with La DoubleJ founder and creative firecracker J.J. Martin, I’m heading home to Los Angeles to begin a new chapter. Thank you, J.J., and to our wonderful team, for the experience of a lifetime. I’m proud of the work we did together to elevate La DoubleJ; open the brand’s first store; debut the Sisterhood, the brand’s very special community; and deliver countless projects, collaborations, and homeware collections that inspired people around the globe with their joyful spirit. Can’t wait to watch you all soar to new heights. Many and more thanks to my Italian family, in true maximalist fashion. Onward!”
Columbia Sportswear Announces Transition of the President of the Sorel Brand
Columbia Sportswear Company announced that Mark Nenow, President of the Sorel brand, has resigned in order to focus on his health.
Mark joined the company in 2007 to lead footwear. He recognized a unique opportunity to transform the Sorel brand, from primarily a men’s winter work boot to a fashion-forward, all season women’s led brand. Mark became president of the Sorel brand in 2015 and focused his attention on growth through a relentless drive towards function-led style applied to boots, sandals, sneakers and more. Sorel has consistently seen growth year over year, establishing itself as the second largest of our family of brands.
“Mark led the brand to sales of $347 million in net sales in 2022,” said Tim Boyle, Chairman, President and CEO. “His leadership has been invaluable to this company, and we wish him the very best.”
Craig Zanon, Senior Vice President, Emerging Brands, will lead Sorel as we search for a replacement.
Giuseppe Santoni announced Eraldo Poletto as CEO of Santoni
Giuseppe Santoni announced the appointment of Eraldo Poletto as CEO of Santoni S.p.A, starting June 2023.
This fundamental organizational change aims to guide the brand’s strategic development and consolidate its international relevance while maintaining a strong connection to its roots.
Poletto’s extensive and profound experience with prominent brands, coupled with a global perspective and strong determination, make him an ideal fit. Poletto, who is already a member of Santoni’s Board of Directors and has decades of expertise in the luxury and retail sectors, has held positions such as CEO and Brand President of footwear brand Stuart Weitzman, which is part of the New York-based Tapestry group. He has also served as CEO of renowned Italian companies such as Salvatore Ferragamo and Furla, as well as Global CEO of Diesel, owned by the OTB group.
The recently appointed Chairman and Executive President, Giuseppe Santoni, stated, “Working together with Eraldo Poletto, sharing a common goal, makes our path smoother and our objectives more easily attainable. Sharing a strategic vision means creating a path for everyone to walk confidently. We must enhance our knowledge and expand our understanding to do better and ensure continuity of excellence.”
For his part, Eraldo Poletto is ready to support the creation of reproducible standards of the highest quality, reconciling excellent craftsmanship with technology that preserves the distinctive beauty and recognizable characteristics of Santoni’s Master Craftsmen’s creations.
“Santoni is born from the originality that comes from discipline, which does not conflict with creativity; instead, it serves to further develop talent,” says Eraldo Poletto, CEO of Santoni S.p.A. “Excellence in craftsmanship, distinctiveness, as well as engineering and reproducibility of the highest quality attained, are just some of the results that make us unique and incomparable.”
Jins announced Paul Nixon Global Chief Creative Officer
Jins, the Tokyo-based eyewear brand, has appointed Paul Nixon, Apple’s former creative director, as its new global chief creative officer.
In a statement, Jins said that Nixon would be a “major driving force in realising Jins’ innovative products, new customer experiences, and global growth going forward”.
Nixon brings over 25 years of design, marketing, and branding experience, most recently as a creative leader at Apple.
“After visiting Maebashi in 2019, I had the opportunity to witness first-hand the creativity, innovation, and influence of Mr Tanaka, who is a driving force behind creating the best experiences in his hometown. I then had the chance to meet Mr Tanaka by chance and learn more about the mission and story of Jins and was immediately attracted not only to his amazing Maebashi projects but also to Jins as a company with a vision and great products that can magnify magnify people’s lives.” – Paul Nixon
“In the coming years, I believe Jins can and will become the global standard for eyewear product design, innovation, and value – as well as providing stand out customer experiences and services.” – Paul Nixon
Cristiano Fagnani named CEO of Off-White; Stephanie Phair appointed Chair of New Guards Group
Farfetch announced that Cristiano Fagnani has been named CEO of Off-White and also remains responsible for NGG’s Reebok business as CEO of NGG++.
Stephanie Phair has been appointed Chair of NGG. The company also announced that NGG CEO, Davide De Giglio, along with his co-founder, Executive Director and Off-White CEO, Andrea Grilli, are stepping down from their roles. The existing leadership team for Palm Angels remains unchanged; with Stefano Robino as General Manager and Francesco Ragazzi as Founder and Creative Director. The leadership of the other NGG brands remains unchanged as well.
Founded in 2015 and based in Milan, NGG manages the design, production and distribution for a range of global brands, including Palm Angels, Off-White and Reebok. It was acquired by FARFETCH in 2019.
Mr. Fagnani has over 20 years of industry experience, including as Chief Marketing Officer for NGG where he worked closely with Off-White. Prior to joining NGG more than three years ago, he had a highly successful career at Nike, where he led Energy Marketing, Brand Experience and Product Collaborations.
Stefano Robino has more than two decades of experience in the luxury fashion industry, having held senior roles with brands including Ami, Tom Ford, Zegna and Lanvin, prior to joining NGG more than three years ago. Under Mr. Robino’s leadership, the Palm Angels brand more than doubled its revenues from 2020 to 2022.
Ms. Phair, who has been working closely with the NGG Group, including as a member of the operational boards for the NGG brands, will support the NGG leadership team toward achieving the goals set out for the business and foster the continued successful integration with the FARFETCH Group. She maintains her role as Group President, FARFETCH. A seasoned luxury executive, she founded TheOutnet.com while an executive at Net-a-Porter, and has held roles
with Issey Miyake and Vogue. Previously, the multi-lingual Ms. Phair also served on the Board of Directors for Moncler S.p.A., and was the Chair of the British Fashion Council.
José Neves, Founder, CEO and Chair, FARFETCH, said, “New Guards has performed extremely well since 2019, and has continued to execute on its strategy with the recent launch of Reebok. I would like to thank Davide and Andrea for their dedicated leadership over the past four years, and for building a very strong team of successors to continue driving the strategy and operations of NGG. They leave with my fondest best wishes for their future endeavours. With a very experienced management team in Cristiano, Ib, Stefano and Francesco and the added benefit of Stephanie’s oversight, I am confident in the continued success of NGG.”
Davide De Giglio said, “As the co-founder of NGG, I take this moment to reflect on the remarkable decade that has transpired since the inception of our platform. This journey, filled with challenges, learnings, and victories, has been nothing short of extraordinary. From an initial idea to a leading light in the fashion world, NGG’s evolution has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. We’ve been a symbol of innovation, creativity, and independence, setting trends and collaborating with phenomenal talent. We are indebted to FARFETCH, who recognized our potential and backed our ambitions. Their acquisition has not just fostered our growth but has also ensured our global presence and influence.
Today, after a beautiful ten-year journey, I step down from my position at NGG. My heart is filled with gratitude for the opportunities I have been given, the extraordinary individuals I had the privilege to work with, and the collective successes we achieved. I leave behind a resilient, dynamic,and robust group that I’m confident will continue to flourish and uphold our shared vision. I look forward with excitement to seeing where the next decade will take NGG.”
Andrea Grilli said, “Nine years, more than 800 employees, over 70 stores, customers in more than 100 countries and over 170 collaborations and capsule collections. Behind these numbers are endless emotions that can’t really be summed up in a few lines. Contributing to the development of NGG by helping the brands gain global visibility and respect in the luxury industry since day one is a priceless experience because it highlights all the efforts made by the wonderful people who I’ve had the good fortune to work with. NGG, today more than ever and thanks to the involvement and support of FARFETCH, is in an incredible position. I wish them and the team all the best and will carry this experience with me forever.”
Audemars Piguet Appoints Ilaria Resta As New CEO
Audemars Piguet announced that Ilaria Resta will be joining the company in August 2023 and, after a brief transition period, will take on the role of Chief Executive Officer on January 1st, 2024. Ms. Resta will replace long-time CEO François-Henry Bennahmias, who previously announced his intention to leave the company after almost 30 years with Audemars Piguet. Mr. Bennahmias will remain fully engaged until the end of 2023 to handle a seamless and orderly transition of leadership with the next CEO.
Ms. Resta is a joint Swiss-Italian national and resides near Geneva, Switzerland. She brings over 26 years of international experience in leading major divisions of highly respected companies, most recently serving as President, Global Perfumery & Ingredients at Firmenich. Prior to joining Firmenich, Ms. Resta worked for Procter & Gamble for over two decades with senior roles in its European and US headquarters, where she built iconic global brands.
“We are delighted to welcome Ms. Resta as our new Chief Executive Officer. A visionary leader with a passion for craftsmanship, Ilaria will take Audemars Piguet into the future as we continue to develop our brand, blend tradition with innovation, and strengthen our direct connection to clients. Her proven record of delivering results through a clear strategic thinking based on deep consumer insights will keep AP’s legacy relevant for generations to come and ensure long lasting growth. Ilaria’s belief in the empowerment of teams and her accomplishments as an inspirational leader in corporate sustainability fully align with Audemars Piguet’s long-standing values as an independent family-owned company. On behalf of the Board of Directors, we would like to thank François for his three decades of service. His transformational leadership has been essential in building the success story AP is today. We are grateful for his indelible contribution and his commitment to stay until the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition.”- Alessandro Bogliolo, Chairman of Audemars Piguet