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LVMH appointed Laura Burdese chief executive of Bulgari, replacing Jean-Christophe Babin who has led the Roman luxury jewellery maker for 12 years.
The appointment, which is effective July 1 of next year, comes as a new generation moves up the ranks of the sprawling French luxury conglomerate.
“The nomination of Laura, while opening a new chapter for Bulgari, is a tribute to her strong contribution and accomplishments,” said LVMH group managing director Stéphane Bianchi, in a statement on Thursday.
Burdese, who has been with the LVMH group for almost a decade, joined Bulgari in 2022 as chief marketing office and became deputy CEO in July of last year. She began her stint at LVMH as CEO of Acqua di Parma. Before joining the French luxury giant, Burdese worked at Beiersdorf, L’Oréal and Swatch.
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LVMH’s watch and jewellery unit has fared better than the rest of the group’s business in recent quarters, mirroring the wider industry as consumers favour hard luxury over apparel and leather goods. While only about a quarter the size of LVMH’s fashion and leather goods division, the watch and jewellery business has helped limit the group’s overall drop in revenue in the first nine months of the year.
Babin has led Bulgari since 2013. During his tenure, Bulgari consolidated its position on the high-end of the jewellery industry, bulked up the brand’s watches offer and increased its footprint in luxury hospitality with the expansion of Bulgari Hotels and Resorts.
Since April, Babin has also overseen LVMH’s watch unit, with the chief executives of Hublot, TAG Heuer and Zenith reporting to him.
Burdese and Babin will report to Bianchi, who is responsible for strategic and operational management of the company’s brands.
Learn more:
Unpacking LVMH’s Latest Executive Shuffle
Louis Vuitton CEO Pietro Beccari will also steer the conglomerate’s Fashion Group, as Sidney Toledano steps down from operational responsibilities and Vuitton deputy CEO Damien Bertrand joins the group’s executive committee.
Disclosure: LVMH is part of a group of investors who, together, hold a minority interest in The Business of Fashion. All investors have signed shareholders’ documentation guaranteeing BoF’s complete editorial independence.
