LVMH Group
According to Bloomberg, Chris de Lapuente, Chairman and CEO of LVMH’s Selective Retailing Division, is reportedly set to resign, with an official announcement expected to be released this week. LVMH and Chris de Lapuente have not commented on the news.
The 61-year-old Chris de Lapuente joined LVMH in 2011 as CEO of beauty retailer Sephora and became a member of the LVMH Executive Committee in the same year. In November 2020, he was appointed Chairman and CEO of the Selective Retailing Division, expanding his responsibilities beyond Sephora, Le Bon Marché, and LVMH’s perfume and beauty division to include DFS Group, luxury e-commerce platform 24S, and cruise retail company Starboard @ Onboard, which was sold by LVMH earlier this year.
Chris de Lapuente holds a degree from the University of Buckingham and began his career at Procter & Gamble (P&G) in 1983. During his time at P&G, he held management roles in multiple international markets including the UK, Spain, and Turkey. In 2004, he became President of P&G’s Global Hair Division.
LVMH’s Selective Retailing Division currently includes five companies: luxury e-commerce platform 24S, beauty retailer Sephora, Paris department store Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche, DFS Group, and the Parisian luxury department store Samaritaine.
In 2023, the division’s total revenue reached €17.885 billion, and for the first half of 2024, its sales grew by 3% year-on-year to €8.632 billion, with organic growth of 8%.
Montblanc
Swiss luxury group Richemont’s brand Montblanc has appointed Giorgio Sarné as its new CEO, effective November 15.
Giorgio Sarné has over 20 years of experience in luxury brand management. He previously worked at the American affordable luxury group Tapestry, where he served as President and CEO of the footwear brand Stuart Weitzman. Prior to that, he held global management positions at LVMH for brands such as Veuve Clicquot and TAG Heuer, covering the champagne and watch sectors.
ABG
Authentic Brands Group (ABG), a global brand development, marketing, and entertainment company, has appointed Josh Perlman as Executive Vice President for Greater China.
Before joining ABG, Perlman worked at Tristate, a Hong Kong-based company, for nearly 21 years. His most recent role was as General Manager of the brand retail business, where he oversaw Reebok’s Greater China business, Nautica’s business in the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, and Macau, as well as Spyder and Jack Wolfskin’s Greater China businesses.
ABG noted that this new leadership position underscores the company’s commitment to expanding its influence and scaling its brand portfolio in the Asia-Pacific region. Recently, ABG also appointed Jeff Daggett as Senior Vice President and Head of Japan Operations, based in Tokyo, and Lim Mi-Kyoung as Senior Vice President for Australia and New Zealand Operations.
Josh Perlman, Jeff Daggett, and Lim Mi-Kyoung will form a specialized team to drive ABG’s brand and business expansion across the Asia-Pacific region.
Wesley Chu, President of ABG’s Sports and Lifestyle division for the Asia-Pacific region, stated, “Josh joins ABG at a critical time in our global expansion. His exceptional leadership and deep understanding of the Chinese market uniquely position him to continue ABG’s growth momentum in Greater China.”
Lim Mi-Kyoung, Senior Vice President for Australia and New Zealand Operations, added, “With these senior appointments, ABG demonstrates the importance of establishing localized teams in both new and fast-growing markets. As ABG approaches its 15th anniversary, we are working together for a transformative new era.”
Alberta Ferretti/Aeffe
Italian fashion group Aeffe announced that designer Alberta Ferretti will step down as Creative Director of her eponymous brand but will continue to serve as Vice President of Aeffe.
Alberta Ferretti founded her namesake brand in 1981 and has served as its Creative Director until now. The Spring/Summer 2025 collection, presented at Milan Fashion Week, will be her final collection for the brand. A successor will be announced in the coming months.
Aeffe stated that this change aligns with the brand’s strategic adjustment, which involves a thorough analysis of roles and functions across departments, leading to internal human resources restructuring to ensure improved efficiency.
As of June 30, 2024, the Alberta Ferretti brand accounted for approximately 7% of Aeffe’s total sales.
The Aeffe Group was co-founded by Alberta Ferretti and her brother Massimo Ferretti, and it currently owns brands including Alberta Ferretti, Moschino, Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini, and Pollini. The group is listed on the Italian Stock Exchange.
De Beers Group
Jewelry group De Beers has appointed Sally Morrison as Head of the U.S. Natural Diamond Market.
In her new role, Morrison’s primary responsibility will be overseeing De Beers’ collaboration with U.S. jewelry retailer Signet Jewelers and leading the development of a new Q4 advertising campaign for natural diamonds. She will also temporarily manage category marketing in other regions, including overseeing De Beers’ collaboration with Chow Tai Fook in the Chinese Mainland.
Sally Morrison joined De Beers in 2002, with her most recent role being Director of Public Relations for the natural diamond business. Prior to that, she led the Diamond Information Center at J. Walter Thompson, which managed PR for De Beers. She has also held positions at the World Gold Council, Diamond Producers Association, and Gemfields.
Tourneau/Bucherer USA
Ira Melnitsky, President and CEO of Tourneau | Bucherer USA, has resigned after 12 years in the role.
Melnitsky was appointed CEO of Tourneau in 2013, and after the company was acquired by Bucherer in 2018, he continued in his role and expanded his responsibilities as President and CEO of Bucherer USA. In 2021, Tourneau was rebranded as Tourneau | Bucherer, and in 2023, Rolex acquired Bucherer.
| Source: Official Press Releases, Bloomberg, Fashion Network
| Image Credit: Brand Websites, Executive Social Media Accounts
| Editor: LeZhi
