// Burberry appoints Gianni Versace head Jonathan Akeroyd as its new chief executive
// Chairman Gerry Murphy will lead the group on an interim basis until Akeroyd joins in April
Burberry has appointed Gianni Versace boss Jonathan Akeroyd as its new chief executive.
54 year old Akeroyd will take up the post on April 1 next year, succeeding Marco Gobbetti who is leaving the luxury retailer on December 31.
He will report directly to the board of directors and Burberry chair Gerry Murphy, who will chair the executive committee from the end of December until Akeroyd joins the business.
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Akeroyd has been chief executive of Milan based Gianni Versace since June 2016.
During his time there, he has been credited with accelerating growth and elevating product, communications and the customer experience.
Prior to this, he worked in the same position at Alexander McQueen for twelve years, during which time he led a turnaround and laid the foundations for global expansion.
Murphy said: “Jonathan is an experienced leader with a strong track record in building global luxury fashion brands and driving profitable growth.
“He shares our values and our ambition to build on Burberry’s unique British creative heritage and his deep luxury and fashion industry expertise will be key to advancing the next phase of Burberry’s evolution.”
Akeroyd added: “I am honoured to be joining Burberry as chief executive officer.
“I have long admired Burberry’s position as the most iconic British luxury brand and I have a deep affection for its storied heritage.
“I am looking forward to returning to London, where I first built my career in the luxury industry, to join a talented team with ambitious plans for the future and a strong platform to accelerate growth.”
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