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EXCLUSIVE: Gucci Builds New Organization With Key Hires
MILAN — Gucci’s new structure under the lead of Stefano Cantino is taking shape.
Cantino may not be taking over as chief executive officer until Jan. 1, but as deputy CEO since May he has been leaving his mark, making strategic decisions to create a new organization at the Italian luxury brand, whose collections are designed by creative director Sabato De Sarno.
As part of Gucci‘s turnaround, Cantino is developing new teams in key areas, looking at streamlining operations and sharpening the decision-making process.
At the end of December, Valérie Leberichel will join Gucci as senior vice president of global communications, reporting directly to Cantino. Gucci is leveraging her 27 years of experience in marketing and communication strategy. Since April 2022, she has been global vice president of communications at Givenchy, which is in the midst of its own turnaround with the arrival of former Alexander McQueen creative director Sarah Burton.
Leberichel began her career as PR manager at Jean Louis Scherrer and later became communications director at Issey Miyake Europe. In 2002, she joined Celine as communication manager for more than 10 years before moving to the Prada Group in 2013 as worldwide communications and external relations director for Miu Miu. By 2019, she oversaw global communications for Miu Miu and headed communications for Prada France. Cantino and Leberichel are no strangers since the former spent much of his 22-year career at Prada in various business development, merchandising and marketing roles, involved in everything from retail to industrial processes, working closely with Prada CEO Patrizio Bertelli and designer Miuccia Prada.
A market source said Leberichel is expected to “establish a strategic vision for brand positioning and craft a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy designed to enhance brand awareness, strengthen emotional connections with audiences across all channels, and drive product demand.”
Following the exit last week of Alessio Vannetti, Gucci’s executive vice president and chief brand officer, his role will be part of Leberichel’s purview. Vannetti returned to Gucci in September last year, taking over duties from Susan Chokachi, who left the company after 25 years. Vannetti was previously Gucci’s worldwide communications director from 2015 to 2019, then spent 3.5 years at Valentino as its chief brand officer.
Luca Bozzo, chief people officer, is also said to be leaving Gucci.
Reporting to Leberichel will be the existing PR and communications, events and special projects, entertainment industry relations, and art buying teams, along with the newly established VP of digital marketing and media role, which will be filled by Marcello Mastrogiacomo, who is joining Gucci on Nov. 25.
Mastrogiacomo has more than 17 years of experience in global marketing, most recently serving as SVP communication, media and image at Armani Beauty Global within L’Oréal, the Italian designer’s longtime beauty licensee.
He began his career at P&G Prestige France as communications director before expanding his scope to include media, digital and social communication strategy at Coty as worldwide communication director for Coty prestige fragrance brands, including Gucci, before moving on to Dior Parfums as global digital and consumer engagement director.
The source said Mastrogiacomo is expected to “craft a unique and cohesive brand narrative, defining Gucci’s voice, and overseeing content creation across all digital platforms.”
Stefano Cantino
Joining Gucci on Thursday as global media director, Daniela Raganato will report directly to Mastrogiacomo. She spent 12 years at Valentino, where she most recently served as director of media and integrated marketing, expanding her expertise to include product marketing strategies, commercial marketing and media planning. “In her new role, she will be pivotal in developing a cohesive global media plan, leveraging data-driven insights and digital optimization to ensure Gucci’s continued relevance in the industry,” the source continued.
With more than 17 years of experience in international communication and global marketing, Raganato began her career at BMW Italy before transitioning into the communications agency sector with Bitmama Reply and LBI, now part of Publicis.
These three key roles build on the appointment of Davide Buzzoni, who joined Gucci from Loro Piana as global communications director in September. He succeeded Benjamin Cercio, who left in March and has since formed his own communications agency.
Previous key hires include Massimo Vian, who joined from Prada as chief industrial and supply chain officer, and Cayetano Fabry as chief commercial officer, a new role for the company. Fabry is tasked with leading all Gucci teams dedicated to defining and implementing client-centric retail and digital experiences. He joined Gucci after spending more than four years at Saint Laurent as president of the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
Cantino in January will succeed Jean-Fran?ois Palus, who had been appointed CEO of Gucci in July 2023, and will report to Francesca Bellettini, deputy CEO of parent Kering in charge of brand development.
A Louis Vuitton communications executive, Cantino brought to Gucci his vast experience in communications, merchandising and managing relationships with the creative studio. But it is understood he has since been sharing some CEO functions, such as brand strategy, with Palus. He joined Louis Vuitton in 2018 as SVP of communications, recruited by then-chairman and CEO Michael Burke. Cantino’s scope on communications and events extended to retail touch points.
During his tenure Cantino helped the company navigate through the death of Virgil Abloh, Vuitton’s artistic director of men’s collections; the arrival of Pietro Beccari as Burke’s successor; the appointment of Abloh’s eventual successor Pharrell Williams, and the expanded remit of Nicolas Ghesquière, who last year added destination pre-fall shows to his workload.
As reported, amid a sharp slowdown in China and Japan, organic sales at Gucci declined 25 percent in the third quarter, versus analysts’ predictions for a 21 percent drop. In reported terms, revenues fell 26 percent to 1.64 billion euros. “Our absolute priority is to build the conditions for a return to sound, sustainable growth, while further tightening control over our costs and the selectivity of our investments,” Fran?ois-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of Kering, said in a statement on the release of third-quarter figures last month.
