Dunhill Finds a New CEO Within Richemont
Dunhill has recruited a new chief executive officer, with an entrepreneurial bent, from within the Richemont family.
Laurent Malecaze was the inaugural CEO at AZ Factory, a joint venture between Compagnie Financière Richemont and the designer Alber Elbaz, who died of COVID-19 last April.
More from WWD
Before taking on that role in October 2020, Malecaze was CEO of The Webster, the American multibrand retailer.
A graduate of elite French business school HEC, Malecaze started his career at Bain & Co. in 2011 as strategic consultant in Paris, London and Sydney. He joined The Webster in 2015 as chief operating officer. He was appointed president in 2018 and named CEO in April 2019.
“Laurent comes with an entrepreneurial spirit and extensive experience in retail,” said Philippe Fortunato, CEO of Fashion & Accessories Maisons at Richemont, revealing the appointment exclusively to WWD.
“At AZ Factory, alongside the late Alber Elbaz, he has demonstrated the ability to establish a strong design identity through a digital-first approach. He is the perfect fit to open a new chapter for Dunhill, an exceptional house boasting over 125 years of a rich history made of constant innovation and search for excellence.”
Malecaze called Dunhill “an exceptional British luxury house where innovation and craftsmanship have always played a central role since it was founded by Alfred Dunhill in London in 1893.”
Image Courtesy of Dunhill
Malecaze succeeds Andrew Maag, a former Burberry executive who had joined Dunhill at the end of 2017.
It is understood that Malecaze’s successor at AZ Factory will be named shortly.
One of Richemont chairman Johann Rupert’s most treasured fashion properties, Dunhill is considered among the Swiss group’s “other” businesses, which are primarily fashion and accessories maisons, including Alaïa, Chloé, Delvaux, Montblanc, Peter Millar, Purdey and Serapian.
Richemont is primarily known for watches and jewelry, including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Buccellati, A. Lange & Söhne, Baume & Mercier, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Piaget, Roger Dubuis and Vacheron Constantin.
Under Maag, and the company’s creative director Mark Weston, Dunhill has been updating its fleet of stores in recent years, ramping up its digital operations, and targeting younger generations with crossbody bags, knitwear, sneakers and jewelry, including a new range inspired by the curves of the automobile transmission.
SEE ALSO:
Transmission Is Dunhill’s Jewelry Collection for a New Generation
Pearls of Insight from Richemont Chairman Johann Rupert
All the Looks from AZ Factory Tribute Show to Alber Elbaz
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
