Dive Brief:
- Alessio Vanetti is returning to Gucci as executive vice president and chief brand officer after a three-year stint as Valentino’s chief brand officer, according to a news release shared with Fashion Dive.
- Vannetti was Gucci’s worldwide communications director from 2015 to 2019. He succeeds Susan Chokachi, who is leaving after 25 years with the Kering-owned luxury house.
- Vannetti’s rehire comes amid a slew of changes at Gucci, including the departure of the brand’s president and CEO Marco Bizzarri, who will step down at the end of September.
Dive Insight:
Vanetti will step into the role on Sept. 4 and be responsible for the Gucci brand and client engagement teams. He will also oversee its strategic brand and image direction, marketing, communications, metaverse and client engagement, according to the release.
Prior to Gucci and Valentino, Vanetti worked as the head of strategic projects and senior press office manager at Prada and served as Zegna’s communication director.
The Kering Group also owns Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga. In July, the company announced it was acquiring a 30% stake in Valentino for about $1.87 billion. That agreement gives Kering the option to fully acquire the house by 2028.
Vanetti will report to Jean-François Palus, Kering Group’s managing director, who is holding the Gucci CEO role after Bizzarri’s exit in a transitional capacity.
“Looking ahead to the new chapter, as the vision of [creative director] Sabato De Sarno is shared with the world, I am delighted to welcome Alessio Vannetti back to Gucci," Palus said in the release. "His extensive experience across prominent fashion brands, combined with his deep understanding of Gucci's legacy, makes him the right choice to steer our brand forward. Alessio will work closely with me, Sabato and everyone at Gucci to craft the new chapter of the House, while enhancing our brand heritage, values, and image consistency.”
Chokachi, the previous chief brand and client officer, was president and CEO of the Americas region from 2016 to 2022. The company credited her with helping develop the culture and foster the company’s legacy gender equality campaign.
Gucci was responsible for more than half of Kering’s total revenue in 2022. In its most recent earnings for the first half of 2023, Gucci’s revenue was up 1% to 5.1 billion euros, or about $5.5 billion at current exchange rates.
Other executive changes at Gucci this year include Armelle Poulou, who was appointed as CFO, and the departure announcements of Piero Braga, executive vice president, and Robert Triefus, CEO of the Gucci Vault and metaverse ventures, who left the company for other positions.
