Marco Bizzarri (born 19 August 1962) is an Italian business executive, president and CEO of Gucci since January 2015 till December 2023.Gucci hires Marco Bizzarri as new brand head, creative director Frida Giannini quits, Straitstimes.com, 12 December 2014 He previously was president and CEO of Stella McCartney (2005–2009) and Bottega Veneta (2009–2014), and joined Kering's executive committee in 2012.
Biography Early career Bizzarri started his career as a consultant for the management consulting firm Accenture in 1986. In 1993, he joined the Bologna-based Mandarina Duck group, and later became CEO of the group. In 2004, he became general manager of the designer brand Marithé et François Girbaud. Marco Bizzarri, Lesechos.fr, 24 November 2004 Stella McCartney nomina Marco Bizzarri nuovo ad, Pambianconews.com
CEO of Kering's brands In 2005, Bizzarri was named President and CEO of Stella McCartney. Under his management, the company turned a profit for the first time in 2007.Stella McCartney posts first ever profit, Marieclaire.co.uk, 3 November 2007 He developed a lifestyle-oriented brand and drove its international development, including the opening of a store in Japan in 2008.Paul Mcinnes, Misha Janette, Stella in Ginza, Japantimes.co.uk, 11 March 2008
In January 2009, Bizzarri became the president and CEO of Bottega Veneta.Stella McCartney poaches Lanvin director as CEO, Reuters.com, 1 December 2008 Amid a global economic downturn, he rapidly changed the distribution of the brand to reposition it in Europe, and worked on a less conservative buying, thus relieving financial stress and enabling new investments.Bag-maker’s value proposition tilts to timeless pieces, Ft.com, 1 January 2000 In 4 years, alongside the creative director Tomas Maier, Bizzarri maintained Bottega Veneta's edge for Italian-made leather craftsmanship,Manoj Nair, Bottega Veneta time-crafted strategy pays off, Gulfnews.com, 25 November 2013 drove growth in Asia,Bottega Veneta’s Understated Luxury Appeals to China’s Sophisticated Fashionistas, Red-luxury.com, 26 June 2012 opened a flagship store in Milan,Roger Scoble, Bottega Veneta Opens Largest Flagship Store In Milan, Pursuitist.com and new eco-friendly headquarters in Vicenza.Nikki Hess, , Mamasarollingstone.com, 18 November 2013 In 2012, Bottega Veneta’s sales reached the $1 billion mark.Suleman Anaya, Bottega Veneta Crosses the $1 Billion Mark, Businessoffashion.com, 22 February 2013
In 2012, Bizzarri became a member of the executive committee of Kering.Sophie Doran, The Latest Appointments: Givenchy, Jil Sander & Yves Saint Laurent, Luxurysociety.com, 20 March 2012 In April 2014, Bizzarri was named CEO of Kering's newly-created couture and leather goods division, directly supervising most of Kering's luxury brands.Anthony DeMarco, Kering Reorganizes To Focus On Luxury Goods, Forbes.com, 29 April 2014Kering’s Marco Bizzarri has the billion-euro touch, Ft.com, 11 May 2014
President and CEO of Gucci In December 2014, Kering named Bizzarri president and CEO of its flagship luxury brand Gucci. His first move was to name a 12-year Gucci member of the creative team, Alessandro Michele, creative director of the brand,Imran Amed, Reinventing Gucci, Businessoffashion.com, 22 September 2015 who successfully managed to renew the brand’s popularity with a «geek chic» props.Gillian Brett, Gucci's Big Plans Revealed, Vogue.co.uk, 6 June 2016 Marco Bizzarri stopped the brand's markdown policy,Limei Hoang, Marco Bizzarri on Gucci’s Remarkable Turnaround, Businessoffashion.com, 27 October 2016 favored cross-gendered collections and unified fashion showsVanessa Friedman, Gucci Calls for End to Separation of the Sexes on the Runway, Nytimes.com, 5 April 2016 and banned the use of fur by the brand.Gucci Announces It Will Be Going Fur-Free, Vogue.co.uk, 11 October 2017 Gucci also amplified its digital strategy to grow its customer-base on social networks.Michael Beach, Gucci offers digital marketing, company culture inspiration , Inma.org, 19 June 2017
Bizzarri opened the Gucci Hub in September 2016 (Gucci headquarters and creative hub in Milan),Nathania Zevi. The New Gucci Hub Opens in Milan, Forbes, 28 September 2016 (accessed on 1 August 2020) the ArtLab in April 2018 (Gucci's 37,000-square-metre creative hub in Casellina near Florence, Italy),Alice Casely-Hayford. Gucci Unveils A Centre Of Creativity, Craftsmanship & Sustainability, Vogue, April 19, 2018 (accessed on 1 August 2020) and Gucci 9 in April 2019 (Gucci's 500-employee network of 6 call centers worldwide for high-end customer service).Gucci turns to call centres to lure high-spending millennial shoppers, Financial Times (accessed on 1 August 2020) In January 2018, he inaugurated the renovated Gucci Museum (in the Palazzo della Mercanzia in Florence) renamed Gucci Garden, and the launch of a new restaurant, the Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura.Mary Hanbury. Gucci just opened a luxurious complex complete with a boutique and a restaurant run by a three-Michelin-starred chef, Business Insider, 10 January 2018 (accessed on 1 August 2020)
In 2019, Bizzarri announced that Gucci was carbon-neutral in its own operations and across its supply chain since 2018, thanks to drastic reductions of its greenhouse gas emissions. He also announced that the firm was changing its production strategy, partnering with the UN-led forest conservation program REDD+ to reduce its carbon footprint, and launched the CEO Carbon Neutral Challenge Initiative to encourage other firm executives to follow suit.Luisa Zargani. Gucci's Marco Bizzarri Issues Carbon Neutral Challenge, WWD, 19 November 2019 (accessed on 1 August 2020)
Under Bizzarri's tenure, Gucci's annual sales grew from 3.9 billion euros in 2015Kering: 2015 Results, Business Wire, 19 February 2016 (accessed on 1 August 2020) to 9.6 billion euros in 2019.Kering: 2019 Full-year Results, Business Wire, 12 February 2020 (accessed on 1 August 2020)
Awards 2020: GQ Italys Best dressed manAlessandra Turra. GQ Italy to Award Giorgio Armani, Marco Bizzarri and Federico Marchetti, WWD, 2 January 2020 (accessed on 1 August 2020) 2018,Naomi Pike. The Fashion Awards 2018: The Winners, Vogue, 10 December 2019 (accessed on 1 August 2020) 2017,2017 Winners, Fashionawards.com 2016:Samantha Conti, Gucci, Demna Gvasalia Big Winners at Fashion Awards 2016 in London, Wwd.com, 5 December 2016 International Business Leader at the Fashion Awards. 2017: Knight of the Legion of Honour (France).Sandra Salibian, Marco Bizzarri to Receive French Legion of Honor, Wwd.com, 6 June 2017 2017: WWD Edward Nardoza Honor for CEO Creative Leadership.Luisa Zargani, Marco Bizzarri Receives WWD Edward Nardoza Honor for CEO Creative Leadership, Wwd.com, 24 October 2017 2017 : Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company.Rose Pastore, >Be Inspired By These Creative Leaders Who Are Changing The World, Fastcompany.com, 24 January 2017 2015: Humanitarian of the Year award by the United Nations Association.Leigh Nordstrom, Gucci’s Marco Bizzarri Honored at the United Nations Humanitarian Dinner, Wwd.com, 23 October 2015
References
External links Official biography Biography on BOF