The Appointment of the OTB Chairman’s Son Reflects His Growing Strategic Role and the Increased Importance of Marni in the Group’s Portfolio
Stefano Rosso has been appointed as the new chief executive officer of Marni, signaling the brand’s growing importance within parent company OTB Group. Rosso, son of OTB Group founder and chairman Renzo Rosso, will continue serving as chair of Maison Margiela and as a board member of OTB Group, in addition to his role as CEO of BVX (Brave Virtual Xperience), the company’s unit dedicated to developing products, content, and experiences for the virtual world.
In his new position at Marni, Rosso succeeds Barbara Calò, who will support Rosso during a transition period. He will report directly to OTB Group CEO Ubaldo Minelli.
“Marni is a unique brand that has built a solid global positioning in the last few years and Stefano will have the important responsibility of fast-tracking Marni’s positioning on the luxury market,” said Renzo Rosso. “The new post is a further step forward in his professional career. I believe that his international experience and innovative vision will prove decisive in raising Marni’s iconic profile and reaching an even broader audience.”
“By appointing Stefano as Marni CEO, we wanted to strengthen the leadership of a brand that is a fundamental driver for the growth of the entire OTB Group,” said Minelli. “Marni still has great potential to be explored and we are convinced that Stefano is the right person to take it forward. I want to thank Barbara Calò for leading Marni’s development in the last few years and for her work in our group.”
Stefano Rosso sits on the board of directors of OTB and, since October 2021, has also been a member of the board of Aura Blockchain Consortium, representing OTB as steering member, alongside LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Prada Group, and Compagnie Financière Richemont.
Stefano Rosso is the cofounder and CEO of D-Cave, the gaming community lifestyle platform, and is also the president of L.R. Vicenza, Italy’s Serie C football club.
He holds a bachelor of arts in international trade and marketing from New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, and began his professional career collaborating with brands such as Zoo York of American group Ecko Unlimited.
Stefano Rosso first joined OTB Group as brand manager of the five-pocket denim category, and then held the role of strategic brand alliances director at Diesel, where he managed collaborations with global brands such as Adidas Originals and Ducati.
In 2011, he became director of corporate development of OTB Group, and in February 2013 he was appointed co-CEO. In 2017 he became CEO of Diesel North America, a responsibility he left after his mandate ended in 2020, returning the operation to profitability after leading a turnaround following a Chapter 11 plan.
