Massimo Vian exits Prada for executive Gucci role

Kering-owned Gucci has recruited Massimo Vian from Prada to join the luxury fashion house as its Chief Industrial and Supply Chain Officer, effective 15 January 2024.

This newly created role points to the recent trend of Italian luxury brands taking measures to control key manufacturing pipelines and comes amid Gucci's wave of executive appointments to revive the house's fortunes.

In a statement, Gucci said Vian will oversee the development and manufacturing processes of leather goods, shoes, ready-to-wear and jewellery. He will supervise product allocation processes across the brand’s different sales channels, reporting to Gucci’s President and CEO Jean-François Palus.

Vian moves to Gucci from Prada where he was Chief Operating Officer. He joined the rival house in 2020 after a short stint as CEO of cashmere brand Falconeri. Before this, he was CEO of Product and Operations at Luxottica Group for 13 years, exiting in 2017.

Following the exit of former Creative Director Alessandro Michele in November last year, who was succeeded by Sabato De Sarno in January, Gucci has shaken up its leadership team.

In September, Gucci elected Alessio Vannetti as Chief Brand Officer, who took the reigns from Susan Chokachi after 25 years at the brand. In the same month, CEO Marco Bizzarri exited the house. He was replaced on an interim basis by Managing Director Jean-Francois Palus.