stylegurrl
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Gucci Appoints New CEO
From Chunky Monkey to golden horse bits
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
After six months of incorrect speculation by the press, The Gucci Group announced today the appointment of Robert Polet as its new president and chief executive officer. Long-time Gucci leader Domenico De Sole is out at the end of the month and his replacement, though top-notch, is hardly what you’d call a luxury goods guru. In fact, Polet, a 48-year-old Dutch national, comes to the world’s third largest luxury group from the supremely less chic kingdom of packaged goods—specifically, ice cream. As President of Unilever’s Worldwide Ice Cream and Frozen Foods division (a $7.8 billion business with 40 operating companies), he oversaw the development of such products as Europe’s “Cornetto Soft” (soft cone) and American favorites such as Ben & Jerry’s, Breyers, and Klondike.
Serge Weinberg, chairman of Pinault Printemps Redoute, Gucci’s owner, said “We are thrilled about Robert’s appointment. His international background, his broad experience in developing brands, his entrepreneurial and managerial talents and his ability to be both a leader and team player make him an ideal choice to run Gucci Group.”
What would Tom say about a Cornetto guy dripping all over Gucci’s sexy designs?
J.J. MARTIN
From Chunky Monkey to golden horse bits
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
After six months of incorrect speculation by the press, The Gucci Group announced today the appointment of Robert Polet as its new president and chief executive officer. Long-time Gucci leader Domenico De Sole is out at the end of the month and his replacement, though top-notch, is hardly what you’d call a luxury goods guru. In fact, Polet, a 48-year-old Dutch national, comes to the world’s third largest luxury group from the supremely less chic kingdom of packaged goods—specifically, ice cream. As President of Unilever’s Worldwide Ice Cream and Frozen Foods division (a $7.8 billion business with 40 operating companies), he oversaw the development of such products as Europe’s “Cornetto Soft” (soft cone) and American favorites such as Ben & Jerry’s, Breyers, and Klondike.
Serge Weinberg, chairman of Pinault Printemps Redoute, Gucci’s owner, said “We are thrilled about Robert’s appointment. His international background, his broad experience in developing brands, his entrepreneurial and managerial talents and his ability to be both a leader and team player make him an ideal choice to run Gucci Group.”
What would Tom say about a Cornetto guy dripping all over Gucci’s sexy designs?
J.J. MARTIN
finally....
, I think it's important to make the distinction between the Gucci now, and the Gucci under Dom and Tom.
i was thinking the same thing
. Jeez, I'm happy to know that PPR may just see the day they regret letting Tom and Dom go, but on the other hand, if Gucci goes down the tubes it's sad to think about all the work people put into making it what it is (or was 
). How wonderfully ironic it would be if Gucci made a rapid decline in success and popularity all because the "celebrity" designer and his CEO left. Mabye Serge Winberg will see that celebrity designers aren't such a bad thing.
