Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri To Step Down — Retail Bum

Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri will leave his position on September 23, 2023, as part of an executive reshuffle that is aimed at primarily helping Gucci regain its momentum.

The company has appointed Jean-Francois Palus, its current managing director, to take over the reins from Bizzarri as the interim chief executive.

“Jean-Francois has been my right-hand man and a daily sparring partner for several decades. He will now focus his energy on getting our largest asset in top shape,” said Kering Chairman and CEO Francois-Henri Pinault.

Bizzarri’s departure comes eight years after he was appointed to the top role at Kering’s star brand. Under his leadership, the brand experienced a period of stellar growth between 2015 and 2019. However, the brand’s performance post-pandemic has lagged that of its competitors such as Louis Vuitton and Hermès.

The brand’s lagging performance has prompted Kering to rethink its strategy for Gucci, starting from creative direction to executive leadership. In November 2022, Gucci announced the departure of Alessandro Michele as the company’s creative director. In place of Michele, Kering has named Sabato De Sarno as the next creative director of Gucci.

The 39-year-old brings extensive experience working for some of the world’s most…