Kering has confirmed, Bartolomeo Rongone, Chief Executive Officer, Bottega Veneta, will conclude his tenure on March 31, 2026. This move follows a six-year period defined by the successful elevation of the ‘quiet luxury’ aesthetic and the commercial scaling of the house’s signature Intrecciato craftsmanship. Under Rongone’s leadership, the brand became a critical defensive pillar for the Group, achieving revenues of approximately €1.7 billion in 2024- a year when Kering's consolidated revenue contracted by 12 per cent. The transition marks a pivotal moment for the conglomerate as it seeks to maintain the momentum of its highest-performing houses while managing broader portfolio volatility.
New governance under Luca de Meo
The executive departure is the first major leadership adjustment under Luca de Meo, who assumed the role of Group CEO in September 2025 as part of a significant governance restructuring. De Meo, a turnaround specialist from the automotive industry, is currently overseeing a ‘phase of stabilization’ intended to reverse declines at flagship brands like Gucci. Leo Rongone has been instrumental in sharpening the brand’s desirability, states de Meo. The upcoming appointment of a successor will be a strategic signal to the retail market, as Kering prioritizes operational efficiency and brand exclusivity to combat a projected 2–5 per cent decline in global personal luxury goods sales for the 2025–2026 cycle.
Focus on craft and distribution integrity
Analysts view this change as an opportunity to further integrate Bottega Veneta into Kering’s updated industrial architecture, which emphasizes direct retail control and sustainable manufacturing. While other houses within the portfolio have faced creative transitions, Bottega Veneta remains anchored by Creative Director Louise Trotter, whose 2025 debut resonated strongly in the North American and Asia-Pacific regions. The primary challenge for the incoming CEO will be navigating an increasingly polarized consumer landscape where high-specification leather goods must justify premium price points through heritage and ‘lifetime care’ service models.
Kering is a Paris-based global luxury powerhouse managing iconic houses including Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Balenciaga. Specializing in leather goods, apparel, and high jewelry, the Group employs 47,000 people and generated €17.2 billion in 2024. Founded as PPR in 1963, Kering now prioritizes organic growth and sustainable retail excellence across key European and Asian markets.
