Gucci names Massimo Vian head of industrial operations and supply chain

A new executive will soon take charge of industrial operations at Gucci. The Kering group’s leading label has appointed Massimo Vian, formerly COO of Prada, to the newly created post of head of industrial operations and the supply chain. A highly strategic role, given how important it is for luxury labels to closely monitor their supply chain.
 

Italy-born Vian, 53, will start in his new position in January, and will report directly to Gucci’s CEO Jean-François Palus. In his new role, Vian “will be in charge of the product development and manufacturing process for the leather goods, footwear, ready-to-wear and jewellery categories, and of the product allocation process across the various sales channels,” said Gucci in a press release.
 
Vian is a highly experienced luxury operations executive. He notably worked for 13 years at Italian eyewear giant Luxottica. He joined the group in 2005 as head of industrial engineering, was appointed CEO Product and Operations in 2014, and left Luxottica in 2017. After a one-year stint as CEO of Italian cashmere label Falconeri, owned by the Calzedonia group, recently renamed Oniverse, Vian joined Prada in 2020.

His appointment at Gucci follows the recent announcement of the departure, planned for mid-January, of Massimo Rigucci, a 23-year veteran at the luxury label, where he was notably in charge of industrial operations for leather goods, footwear and jewellery. Since 2018, Rigucci also spearheaded ArtLab, Gucci’s cutting-edge centre for craftsmanship and R&D, focused specifically on the design and development of leather goods and footwear, based in Scandicci, on the outskirts of Florence.
 
Gucci is undergoing an in-depth transformation. Having slowed down in the last two years, it is trying to reposition itself at the top end of the luxury market. A strategy that has led Gucci to overhaul its top hierarchy. The label has been led since October by Palus, while in early 2023 it named Sabato De Sarno as its new creative director, replacing the iconic figure Alessandro Michele.