// Burberry CEO Marco Gobbetti is to leave the retailer at the end of this year after almost five years in the role
// He is leaving to take up a new, unspecified role in Italy and to be closer to family
// Gobbetti staying in post until the end of the year to enable an orderly transition as a successor is sought
Burberry chief executive Marco Gobbetti is set to depart the business at the end of this year after almost five years in the role.
Gobbetti, who replaced Christopher Bailey in 2017, is poised to leave the UK-based luxury retailer to take up a new, unspecified role in Italy to be closer to his family, Burberry said.
The board will now begin the search for a successor, with Gobbetti staying in post until the end of the year to enable an orderly transition, it added.
READ MORE:
- Burberry accelerates sustainability goals with “climate positive” pledge by 2040
- Burberry suffers from lockdowns and lack of tourism as sales drop
- Burberry sales driven by digital as “younger” customers shop online
Chairman Gerry Murphy said Gobbetti “has had a transformative impact and established a clearly-defined purpose and strategy, an outstanding team and strong brand momentum”.
“The board and I are naturally disappointed by Marco’s decision, but we understand and fully respect his desire to return to Italy after nearly 20 years abroad,” Murphy said.
“With the execution of our strategy on track and our outlook unchanged, we are determined to build on Burberry’s strong foundations to accelerate growth and deliver further value for our shareholders.”
Gobbetti, who took home £2.25 million last year in pay and bonuses, said: “With Burberry re-energised and firmly set on a path to strong growth, I feel that now is the right time for me to step down.”
During his time at the luxury fashion brand, Gobbetti has attempted to push more full price items and rely less of discounts and sales.
He also talked about selling products at higher prices and improving marketing and strategy to tap into rich, young customers’ wallets.
Prior to joining Burberry he was chief executive of Moschino and Givenchy before taking charge at French brand Celine.
The Covid-19 pandemic had an impact on Burberry, with stores closed for large parts of the year and European outlets suffering from the lack of international tourists.
In the UK, around two-thirds of sales came from tourists, which have largely been absent throughout the pandemic.
The retailer also suffered over its stance against using Xinjiang cotton over allegations of forced labour camps in the Chinese region.
Burberry and other fashion brands faced consumer boycotts and a backlash from Chinese authorities, although bosses said the impact was “limited”.
However, since lockdown restrictions have eased, the retailer saw a 32 per cent boost in sales in its most recent results – the three months to the end of March, with strong demand in Asia and the US.
The performance helped limit the fall in full-year revenues to 11% to £2.3 billion, with retail turnover down nine per cent.
with PA Wires
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette’s free daily email newsletter
