French luxury group Kering appointed Bartolomeo ‘Leo’ Rongone to the role of chief executive officer at Bottega Veneta.
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Rongone will take up the helm of the Italian luxury brand, effective September 1, 2019.
He will report to François-Henri Pinault, chairman and chief executive officer of Kering, and will be a member of the group’s executive committee.
Rongone replaces Claus-Dietrich Lahrs, who has taken a personal decision “to leave to get closer to his family and to take on a new entrepreneurial challenge,” said the group in a press release.
“I would like to warmly thank Claus-Dietrich Lahrs for his commitment and his major achievements in nearly three years as head of Bottega Veneta. He made some decisive choices and created a new momentum for the maison. I wish him the best for his future career,” said Pinault.
Rongone was most recently chief operating officer of Yves Saint Laurent, overseeing the French label’s ready-to-wear, leather goods and shoe departments, as well as global retail operations and client engagement.
The 48-year-old started his career as a market analyst in the luxury sector, before joining Fendi in 2001 — becoming head of business intelligence, which lead him to senior roles in supply chain, merchandise planning and client relationship management. He arrived at YSL in 2012.
As CEO of Bottega Veneta, Rongone is set to “realize the full potential of the new creative force that has been driving the Italian maison since 2018,” adding Kering, referring to the appointment of Bottega Veneta’s newest creative director, Daniel Lee.
“I’m delighted by the appointment of Leo Rongone, and appreciate his passion and energy,” continued Pinault.
“His knowledge of Luxury and managerial qualities will be decisive in his new role. I am sure he will be able to maintain this latest development phase in the history of Bottega Veneta by drawing on the maison’s exceptional heritage and the creativity of Daniel Lee,” he said.
Kering group spans fashion, leather goods, jewellery and watches. It owns brands Gucci, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Brioni, Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo, Qeelin, Ulysse Nardin, Girard-Perregaux, as well as Kering eyewear.
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In 2018, Kering had nearly 35,000 employees and revenue of €13.7 billion.