Valentino on the Hunt for New CEO as Jacopo Venturini Steps Down

Valentino is looking for a new CEO. The Italian luxury brand is to appoint a new CEO to take over from Jacopo Venturini, who is leaving the company after five years in the position.

The Italian company explained in a statement that it “has reached a mutual agreement with Venturini to terminate his employment and board duties effective August 13, as Venturini has decided to take a break for personal reasons.“

Venturini began his relationship with Valentino in 2000, when he took over as brand manager of the women’s and men’s fashion brand, until 2004. His next stop was Prada, but in 2008 he returned to the Italian firm as director of the ready-to-wear collection and retail image director.

In 2015 he moved back to another house, Gucci, where he stayed until 2020. It was also there that he met designer Alessandro Michele, who held the position of creative director.

Valentino undertook a retail expansion spearheaded by Venturini

Valentino hired Venturini in 2020 as chief executive officer, replacing Stefano Sassi, who had led the maison since 2006. Venturini carried out a repositioning strategy for the brand in the haute couture house arena, alongside the creative director joining in 2024, Alessandro Michele.

Since his arrival at the company, the executive launched a retail expansion, foreseeing a potential growth of the brand in China, presenting, in addition, the first phase of the Re-Signify project, highlighting the Valentino codes in Shanghai in December 2020.

Valentino is majority owned by the Qatari investment fund Mayhoola. In 2023, the French group Kering acquired a 30% stake in the Italian firm, with an option to take full control by 2028.

The Italian company closed 2024 with a 22% decline in Ebitda (gross operating profit) to €246 million and a 3% drop in sales, which stood at €1.31 billion.