Ganni appoints former Balenciaga executive as new CEO

Ganni has appointed former Balenciaga deputy CEO Laura du Rusquec as its new CEO replacing Andrea Baldo who stands down after more than five years in the role having notched up double-digit annual growth and established a retail presence for the Danish contemporary women's brand.

Ganni co-fouder Nicolaj Reffstrup said Baldo, whose long career in fashion has taken in senior roles at Diesel, Marni and Coccinelle, had been “an integral part of Ganni’s journey, steering us through both challenges and opportunities with unmatched dedication. His vision has been crucial in shaping what Ganni is today. We are immensely thankful for his leadership and wish him the best in his future endeavours.”

Du Rusquec will be based at the L Catterton-owned brand's Paris office. She said of her appointment: “I am thrilled to join Ganni at such a pivotal time and to continue building on the brand’s strong foundation. Ganni’s commitment to innovation, sustainability and their progressive approach to luxury is exactly what the future of fashion needs. I look forward to leading the talented team toward new heights and further global expansion,”

She had been with Balenciaga for more than seven years and her career also took in several senior roles at Balenciaga's parent company Kering. “Laura’s extensive experience in EMEA and global markets with specialty in luxury equips her with unique insights and strategies, ideal for leading Ganni into its next phase of growth and brand innovation,” said Eduardo Velasco, partner at private equity house L Catterton, which has been an investor in the brand since 2017.

In a post on Linked-in announcing his departure, Baldo said: "In these 5+ years we achieved our great ambition to become a truly global fashion player, delivering great responsible products to our #gannigirls community and great returns to our shareholders.

"My gratitude go first to the talented global teams that made this possible, working hard in Copenhagen, London, Paris, New York, Shanghai and in all the stores worldwide to execute our strategy."

Ganni has been owned and run since 2009 by husband-and-wife team Ditte Reffstrup and Nicolaj Reffstrup, who have created a global brand known for its off-beat design aesthetic and sustainable credentials. Available globally through high-profile third party partners and via its website, the brand has recently been expanding it own retail presence and now has five stores in London, including a recently opened new concept store in Marylebone.