Paris, September 06
Change continues at Prada.
The Milan-based fashion group announces a series of significant shifts in its hierarchy, the most recent being the appointment of Rosa Santamaria Maurizio at the forefront of the human resources department.
She takes over from Stefano Rastrelli, who held the role for a decade.
Maurizio comes straight from Valentino, where she masterminded a revamp of the company’s structure and culture, closely collaborating with CEO, Jacopo Venturini.
Her emphasis on identifying and bolstering Valentino’s “couture” values has been particularly commended, as well as her introduction of structured processes for talent management.
Prior to Valentino, Santamaria Maurizio’s 14-year tenure at American Express undoubtedly provided her with a robust foundation in human resources.
Prada’s official statement suggests that Santamaria Maurizio “will actively participate in the cultural and organisational change of the group”.
Change seems to be the order of the day for Prada of late.
Recently, the group welcomed Andrea Guerra, former CEO of Luxottica, as the new group CEO. Gianfranco D’Attis, hailing from Dior, has been appointed to lead Prada’s flagship brand.
Moreover, Andrea Bonini, a former executive at Goldman Sachs, steps in as Chief Financial Officer.
All these reshuffles seem to hint at a transition to the next generation for Prada.
A key sign of this evolution is the ascent of Lorenzo Bertelli, son of Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli.
He is currently the Executive Director and is widely perceived as the group’s future leader.
However, despite these shifts, the presence of the founders remains strong.
Miuccia Prada, albeit having stepped down from her co-CEO role, continues to steer the brand’s creative vision alongside Raf Simons.
Her husband, Patrizio Bertelli, now assumes the role of Executive Chairman.
But the news doesn’t stop there for the Prada group. Another major announcement has been the impending departure of Fabio Zambernardi, the house’s design director since the 1990s.
According to sources close to the company, Zambernardi will leave the group by the year’s end.
In a sector as competitive as fashion, where brands must constantly reinvent themselves to remain relevant, these movements at Prada demonstrate a determination to stay at the cutting edge, both in terms of design and organisational management.
Only time will tell how these changes will steer the group’s trajectory.
Crédit photographie : B.O.F
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