Baccarat
On November 21, French luxury crystal manufacturer Baccarat announced the appointment of Laurence Nicolas, a member of Baccarat’s board since 2018, as its next CEO. Nicolas will assume the role in February 2025 after the current CEO, Maggie Henriquez, steps down.
Since 2021, Laurence Nicolas has served as the General Manager of Printemps, a prestigious French department store. From January 2018 to September 2020, she led the global jewelry and watch division at Sotheby’s auction house. Prior to that, she held significant positions at Cartier and Dior: at Cartier, she led global retail and marketing operations, and at Dior, she established the high jewelry division and expanded its jewelry and watch collections.
Maggie Henriquez, who joined Baccarat in 2022 after a 21-year tenure at the LVMH Group, has been celebrated for spearheading key transformations at Baccarat and laying the groundwork for its future. Henriquez remarked, “It has been an honor to lead Baccarat and contribute to its extraordinary heritage. I am proud to have strengthened Baccarat’s influence, preserving its traditions while bringing it into the modern era … I am confident that Laurence will bring new energy and vision to this iconic brand, ensuring it continues to thrive, innovate, and reach new heights.”
Sephora / LVMH
Marion Bouchut has been appointed as the new Global Communications Director for Sephora, the high-end beauty retailer under the French luxury conglomerate LVMH Group. She will work closely with Tiphaine Bannelier, the Global Communications Officer. The appointment will take effect in January 2025.
Previously, Marion Bouchut served as Communications Director for the French operations of fast-fashion e-commerce giant Shein, where she oversaw strategic communications planning, media relations, and crisis management. Her role at Shein may be succeeded by Quentin Ruffat, formerly PR Director at the influencer agency Forward Global.
With extensive experience in public relations and communications, Marion Bouchut has worked across several renowned organizations in sectors such as FMCG, finance, and luxury goods. Before joining Shein, she spent six years at Havas Paris as a Senior Consultant and Consultant, where she developed corporate and consumer communications strategies for international clients like Amazon and AXA, successfully managing crisis communication and media exposure. Additionally, she has held communications and marketing roles at Hogarth Worldwide, Imperial College Business School, and PwC, gaining expertise in media relations, digital marketing, project management, and content creation. Early in her career, she contributed PR and editorial support to Madame Figaro and Edmond de Rothschild, demonstrating strong writing skills and strategic insight.
Gucci / Kering Group
The Italian luxury brand Gucci, under the Kering Group, recently announced a new leadership change, promoting Francesco Falai to Chief People Officer. Falai, previously Senior Vice President of Global Talent, Retail, and Business Functions at Gucci, will assume the role on January 1, 2025, succeeding the current HR Director, Luca Bozzo. This transition coincides with the onboarding of Gucci’s next CEO, Stefano Cantino.
In his new role, Falai will be responsible for “leading Gucci’s human resources strategy, driving operational excellence, and fostering organizational transformation and expansion.” He will collaborate with various stakeholders to enhance employee contributions to business success.
Falai holds a degree in Economics from the University of Florence and studied at Milan’s SDA Bocconi School of Management. He began his career at the Florence-based leather goods manufacturer Pelletteria Fontana and later joined Salvatore Ferragamo in sales. In 2005, he moved to the Prada Group, where he became the Global HR Director for Church’s, a shoe brand under Prada, in 2012. He joined Gucci in 2017, overseeing HR for global retail and omnichannel operations and expanding his responsibilities over time.
Falai has previously worked with Gucci’s incoming CEO, Stefano Cantino, during their time at the Prada Group. His appointment is part of a broader series of leadership changes at Gucci. Recent hires include Valérie Leberichel for global communications, Marcello Mastrogiacomo as VP of Digital Marketing and Media, Daniela Raganato as Global Media Director, and Davide Buzzoni as Global Communications Director. This summer, Gucci also appointed Cayetano Fabry as Sales Director. Last year, the brand hired Massimo Vian, former COO of Prada, as Head of Industrial Operations and Supply Chain, a newly created position.
Deciem / Estée Lauder Companies
Nicola Kilner, co-founder of Deciem, recently announced her resignation as CEO of the company. Deciem, which she co-founded in 2013 with the late Brandon Truaxe, is the parent company of skincare brands such as The Ordinary, Niod, Hyalamide, The Chemistry, and Hif. In 2021, Estée Lauder acquired Deciem after making an initial investment in 2017.
Nicola Kilner
Starting in December, Kilner will hand over daily operations to Jesper Rasmussen, who joined Deciem in July 2022 as Senior Vice President and General Manager. Rasmussen will step into the role of Global Brand President, while Kilner will retain some co-founder responsibilities, focusing on shaping the company’s structure and vision. She stated, “This transition will allow me more time to realign my energy, spend quality time with my young family, and explore new creative projects.”
Rasmussen has a nine-year tenure at Estée Lauder, serving as Senior Vice President for International and Europe and five years as Brand Manager, overseeing Clinique and Origins in Germany, the Middle East, and Africa. Before Estée Lauder, he spent seven years as Commercial Director at L’Oréal.
Jesper Rasmussen
Estée Lauder’s Executive Chairman and incoming CEO, Stéphane de La Faverie, praised Kilner’s leadership, saying, “Since co-founding Deciem in 2013 with the late Brandon Truaxe, Nicola has revolutionized the beauty industry with transparency, quality, and authenticity. We are deeply grateful for her outstanding leadership as CEO and for the partnership over the last seven years.” Deciem has disrupted the skincare industry by championing ingredient transparency and clinical efficacy, with its flagship brand The Ordinary carving a niche in value-driven, high-potency formulations. Its premium brand, Niod, followed suit, targeting a higher price point.
De La Faverie added, “Jesper’s appointment recognizes his exceptional leadership alongside Nicola since joining Deciem. As Global Brand President, Jesper will focus on driving growth, enhancing Deciem’s authority in ingredient-led skincare, nurturing its culture of agility, innovation, and belonging, and advancing its incubator model to shape the future of beauty.”
P448
The luxury street-style sneaker brand P448 recently announced the appointment of Rocco Bennici as its new Chief Financial and Operating Officer. In his new role, Bennici will oversee all financial and fiscal functions and manage P448’s teams across Italy, Spain, the United States, Hong Kong, and the Chinese Mainland, reporting directly to Wayne Kulkin, Executive Chairman of P448’s parent company, StreetTrend LLC.
Rocco Bennici most recently worked at OTB Group, the parent company of Diesel, where he served as Director of Group Finance and Corporate Finance since 2021. Prior to OTB, Bennici held leadership roles in finance at Stiga, Fincantieri, and Saipem.
Wayne Kulkin stated that Bennici will play a “critical role” in steering P448’s growth as it enters its next phase of development. Kulkin added, “Few people possess the diverse skill set and curiosity that Rocco brings, and I believe we will all benefit greatly from his leadership.”
This expansion of P448’s leadership team coincides with the brand’s recently announced strategic partnership with Loop Capital, which has made a “minor” investment in the brand. Loop Capital plans to leverage its network of athletes and celebrities to increase P448’s global visibility.
In April this year, P448 entered a joint venture with The Camp Brands, a Barcelona-based distributor of international brands. This partnership aims to expand P448’s wholesale distribution across Europe and strengthen its retail strategy through store openings in the region. Additionally, The Camp Brands will globally produce and sell P448-branded apparel.
The Italian Sea Group
Global luxury yacht manufacturer The Italian Sea Group has announced the appointment of Gianmaria Costantino as Chief Commercial Officer, responsible for managing all of the group’s commercial activities worldwide. The Italian Sea Group’s portfolio includes renowned yacht brands such as Admiral, Tecnomar, Perini Navi, Picchiotti, NCA Refit, and Celi 1920.
Gianmaria Costantino, the son of the group’s founder Giovanni Costantino, graduated with honors in International Economics and Finance from Bocconi University in Milan and holds a Master’s degree in Finance from Hult International Business School in London. He has professional experience at Meti Corporate Finance, iM Global Partner, and BDO. He later joined The Italian Sea Group, working on commercial projects with the management team, gaining extensive experience.
Since October 2022, Gianmaria Costantino has been a member of the company’s board of directors, leading its sales team and driving the group’s global commercial development.
| Sources: Brand/Company Websites, Official LinkedIn Pages, Executive LinkedIn Profiles, Footwear News, MR Magazine, Espacio Dircom, The Industry.Beauty, Cosmetics Business
| Image Credit: Brand/Company Websites, Official LinkedIn Pages, Executive LinkedIn Profiles
| Editor: LeZhi
