Kering
French luxury group Kering has appointed Marilyne Trebus as Chief Product Officer, effective 1 September.
In her new role, Marilyne Trebus will be tasked with strengthening the Group’s product expertise. Working closely with Kering’s Houses, she will focus primarily on merchandising, pricing, integrated business planning and product development. She will develop a roadmap aimed at enhancing Kering’s operational agility and sharpening its focus on customer needs.
Marilyne Trebus will be part of Kering’s Client Excellence organisation and report to the Group’s Chief Client Officer, Carlo Mocci. Client Excellence supports the Group’s Houses in addressing challenges across marketing, retail distribution, omnichannel operations and client development. She will help further develop the organisation by bringing together expertise from across the Group to serve its Houses.
Marilyne Trebus has more than 20 years of international experience in the luxury and fashion industries across Europe and the US. She previously served as Head of Merchandising at Coach in New York, where she played a key role in the brand’s transformation and development over the past decade. She has also held senior positions in product development and merchandising at Chloé, Celine and Valentino. She is a graduate of ESCP Business School.
Bang & Olufsen
Danish premium audio and visual brand Bang & Olufsen has announced several senior executive appointments:
- Gianfilippo Testa as Chief Executive Officer
- Jesper Hessel as the newly created Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy Chief Executive Officer
- Nikolaj Wendelboe as Chief Operating Officer, in addition to his existing role as Chief Financial Officer
Above: Gianfilippo Testa, Jesper Hessel
An Italian national, Gianfilippo Testa has more than 25 years of senior executive experience with leading global luxury and consumer brands.
Gianfilippo Testa began his career at TAG Heuer in 2002 before taking on a number of roles within LVMH, primarily at Fendi, with postings in Italy, Japan and Hong Kong, China. In 2016, he joined Kering as President of Gucci Greater China. Three years later, he was promoted to President of Gucci Europe, the Middle East and Africa, while also serving as Global Vice President of Retail. In 2022, he became Chief Executive Officer and President of Alexander McQueen, a position he left in June last year. He holds an MBA from the Institut Français de Gestion in Paris and a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Sapienza University of Rome.
In his new role, Jesper Hessel will lead the commercial implementation of Bang & Olufsen’s strategy.
Jesper Hessel brings extensive experience in commercial excellence, brand building and corporate transformation, with a strong track record of delivering results. Before joining Bang & Olufsen, he spent nearly a decade at Danish jewellery group Pandora, where he was closely involved in the company’s commercial transformation. Earlier in his career, he spent six years as a management consultant at Boston Consulting Group. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from Copenhagen Business School and a Master’s degree in Finance and Private Equity from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Christie’s
International auction house Christie’s has appointed Remi Guillemin as Global Head of Watches.
Based in Geneva, Remi Guillemin will oversee Christie’s global watches business across both auctions and private sales. In his new role, he will lead an international team of specialists and work closely with collectors and clients worldwide to bring the finest and most historically significant timepieces to market.
Remi Guillemin has more than a decade of international experience at Christie’s. He previously served as Head of Watches for the Americas and EMEA, leading the team through significant business growth. Christie’s said that under Remi Guillemin’s leadership, its US watches business recorded substantial growth, with several auctions achieving 100% sell-through rates. The New York team also set a Christie’s record for the most valuable watch ever sold by the auction house in the US.
The global Watches team has also announced several other appointments:
- Alexandre Bigler, who delivered strong results during seven years as Head of the department in Asia, has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Senior International Specialist and Head of Watch Collections. In his new role, he will support business development across both auctions and private sales. Alexandre will continue to leverage his expertise and relationships with leading collectors worldwide, while providing guidance on commercial strategy to strengthen the competitiveness of the business.
- Harmmond Wong, who has been with Christie’s for nine years, has been promoted to Vice President, Head of Department, Asia Pacific. He will oversee the Watches department across Asia Pacific and work closely with Remi and Alexandre.
- Cissy Ngan has been promoted to Vice President, Senior Specialist, Asia Pacific, after 12 years at Christie’s.
Above: Alexandre Bigler, Harmmond Wong, Cissy Ngan
Borsalino
Italian heritage hatmaker Borsalino, which has a 176-year history, has appointed Giacomo Cortesi as Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 September.
Giacomo Cortesi said that “My goal is to lead Borsalino in building a more scalable and sustainable business model that supports the brand’s international development while preserving its manufacturing heritage and exceptional product quality.”
Going forward, Giacomo Cortesi will work alongside the brand’s General Manager, Mauro Baglietto, to drive Borsalino’s business development and commercial growth.
The appointment is intended to equip Borsalino with the strategic capabilities needed to drive growth, strengthening both the company’s back-office functions and its global supply chain centred in Italy, while supporting the brand’s international expansion.
Giacomo Cortesi holds degrees in engineering and economics and brings nearly three decades of management experience. He has held senior positions at Salvatore Ferragamo and Ermenegildo Zegna. Over the past two decades, he has served in roles including General Manager of Richemont’s Leather Goods division and Chief Executive Officer of Richemont-owned Serapian, as well as Chief Executive Officer of the Bonaventura Group. He has accumulated extensive experience across finance, information technology, research and development, marketing, supply chain management and operational excellence.
Borsalino said that Giacomo Cortesi’s appointment is aligned with its strategy to strengthen corporate governance. The Italian hatmaker, controlled by Haeres Equita, has established a steering committee comprising Giacomo Cortesi, Chairman Philippe Camperio and General Manager Mauro Baglietto.
Messika
Parisian high jewellery brand Messika has appointed Arnaud Michon as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Americas.
Based in New York, Arnaud Michon will be responsible for expanding Messika’s retail footprint, strengthening its organisational structure and distribution network, and accelerating brand development across the Americas.
A French national, Arnaud Michon spent more than 12 years with Swiss watchmaking giant Swatch Group before joining Messika, including nine years as President of Omega in the US. In 2021, his responsibilities were expanded when he also became Country Manager for Swatch Group in the US and Caribbean. Earlier, he spent three years at Chaumet in Paris as General Manager for Europe. Prior to that, he spent nine years at Cartier, where his final role was Deputy Director for Europe.
Savile Row Bespoke Association
The Savile Row Bespoke Association has appointed Taj Phull as Chairman.
At 41, Taj Phull is the youngest person ever to hold the position. He will lead the Association’s work to “protect, promote and preserve” the craft of bespoke tailoring on Savile Row.
In his new role, he succeeds Mark Henderson, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Gieves & Hawkes.
Taj Phull was promoted to General Manager of bespoke tailoring house Huntsman in November 2020. He subsequently led the 177-year-old Huntsman in expanding beyond its bespoke business into ready-to-wear.
The Savile Row Bespoke Association was founded in 2004 by five Savile Row tailoring houses: Anderson & Sheppard, Dege & Skinner, Gieves & Hawkes, H. Huntsman & Sons and Henry Poole & Co. The Association has since grown to 22 members.
| Source: Official press releases, FashionNetwork
| Image Credit: Official press releases, personal social media accounts
| Editor: Luxeplace
