LVMH
French luxury conglomerate LVMH has announced that Pietro Beccari will become Chairman and CEO of LVMH Fashion Group, succeeding Sidney Toledano, who has decided to step down from his managerial role. The appointment will take effect on January 1, 2026.
Pietro Beccari will also continue to serve as Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton.
The LVMH Fashion Group oversees brands including Celine, Fendi, Kenzo, Loewe, Givenchy, Marc Jacobs, Patou, and Pucci, but does not include the group’s two flagship labels, Louis Vuitton and Dior.
Damien Bertrand, currently Deputy CEO of Louis Vuitton, will join the LVMH Executive Committee.
Pietro Beccari joined LVMH in 2006 as Executive Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Louis Vuitton. In 2012, he was appointed Chairman and CEO of Fendi. In February 2018, he became Chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, working with creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Kim Jones to build a more stable, wearable, and youth-oriented Dior. With strategic marketing efforts, he successfully scaled the brand. In 2023, he became CEO of Louis Vuitton, the group’s flagship brand.
Bernard Arnault stated, “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Sidney Toledano. For over 30 years, he has stood by my side, demonstrating unwavering determination, exceptional talent, and loyalty in every situation. He will continue to serve as my special advisor. Pietro Beccari has achieved remarkable results at Dior and Louis Vuitton, and I am pleased that he has agreed to bring his experience to the brands under LVMH Fashion Group. Pietro is an outstanding leader with unique talent and boundless energy. He excels at bringing together and nurturing great talent, laying a solid foundation for the brand’s future development. While continuing to lead Louis Vuitton, he will increasingly rely on the support of Damien Bertrand, who has made significant contributions in recent months and now officially joins the Executive Committee.”
Gucci
Valérie Leberichel, Senior Vice President of Global Communications at Italian luxury brand GUCCI (part of France’s Kering Group), has left the company after serving in the role for less than a year.
Appointed in late December 2024, Valérie Leberichel was responsible for formulating the brand’s marketing and communications strategy to enhance its image and visibility. With 28 years of experience in marketing and communications strategy, she previously served as VP of Global Communications at LVMH-owned Givenchy.
Her career began in the PR team at Jean Louis Scherrer, followed by a role as Communications Director for Europe at Issey Miyake. In 2002, she joined LVMH’s Celine as Communications Manager. In 2013, she moved to Prada Group as Global Director of Communications and External Relations at Miu Miu, later also overseeing global communications for Miu Miu and communications for Prada in the French market. In 2018, she returned to LVMH to join Givenchy.
Fendi
Italian luxury brand Fendi has appointed Francesca Leoni as Global Chief Communications Officer, succeeding Cristiana Monfardini, who is stepping down.
Francesca Leoni brings over 25 years of experience in the luxury industry. Most recently, she served as Chief Brand Officer at Michael Kors for seven years. From 2010 to 2018, she was Global Communications and Image Director at Valentino. Earlier in her career, she led global PR at Bulgari for five years and later managed PR and event planning at Hermès. She began her fashion career in 1993 as Head of PR at American brand Malo.
Francesca Leoni holds a degree in Art from New York University.
Valentino
Italian luxury brand Valentino has appointed Laurent Bergamo as Deputy Chief Executive Officer.
Laurent Bergamo joined Valentino in 2018 and has since steadily risen through the ranks. He first served as General Manager for the Middle East, was promoted to CEO for the Americas in 2020, and then took charge of commercial operations in the Americas, Brazil, Europe, and the Middle East. In 2023, he became Global Chief Commercial Officer, with responsibilities extending to East Asia, as well as global outlet business and retail performance and operations. Before joining Valentino, he worked at Tod’s for 14 years.
EssilorLuxottica
European eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica has announced the departure of its Chief Wearables Officer, Rocco Basilico.
Over the past decade, Rocco Basilico steadily advanced within the group, focusing on markets outside Europe. He spearheaded the collaboration between the group and U.S. tech giant Meta to launch smart glasses and played a key role in Meta’s acquisition of a roughly 3% stake in EssilorLuxottica.
Notably, Rocco Basilico is the stepson of Luxottica’s late founder, Leonardo Del Vecchio, and owns a 12.5% stake in the family holding company Delfin.
Going forward, Rocco Basilico will focus on his own entrepreneurial ventures and may plan to transfer part of his Delfin stake to a trust fund. This move would help raise liquidity to support his short-term entrepreneurial initiatives.
| Source: FashionNetwork, Reuters, historical reports by Luxe.CO
| Image Credit: Personal social media accounts
| Editor: LeZhi
