{"id":733509,"date":"2025-11-24T22:57:12","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T19:57:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=733509"},"modified":"2025-11-24T22:57:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T19:57:12","slug":"its-to-step-ahead-not-backwards-gildo-zegna-on-succession-planning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=733509","title":{"rendered":"\u201c\u200aIt\u2019s to Step Ahead, Not Backwards\u201d: Gildo Zegna on Succession Planning"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Executive Interviews<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201c\u200aIt\u2019s to Step Ahead, Not Backwards\u201d: Gildo Zegna on Succession Planning<\/h1>\n
By <\/span>Laure Guilbault<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

November 24, 2025<\/p>\n

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    The Zegna 2026 Cruise Show in Dubai in June.<\/span>Photo: Victor Boyko\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n
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    Ermenegildo \u201cGildo\u201d Zegna is succession planning. On Monday, the Zegna Group chair and CEO announced a new leadership structure for the group and its namesake brand, effective January 1, 2026.<\/p>\n

    Gildo Zegna, who turned 70 in September and has been CEO of the Milanese label since 2005, will assume the role of group executive chair, with a focus on \u201csafeguarding the legacy and integrity of Zegna Group\u2019s three brands \u2014 Zegna, Thom Browne and Tom Ford Fashion\u201d. He will also retain oversight of Zegna Group\u2019s textiles division, its general counsel\u2019s office and the external relations department, which includes sustainability, investor relations and corporate communications.<\/p>\n

    The executive, who calls himself \u201ca man of targets\u201d, had decided that when he reached 70, he would plan ahead. \u201cAnd that\u2019s what I did,\u201d Gildo tells me. \u201cThe journey started one year ago. We looked outside, we were not convinced; but we felt that inside, we had good talents and a good possibility to make it happen\u2026 It\u2019s good timing.\u201d<\/p>\n

    These internal talents include group chief financial and operating officer Gianluca Tagliabue, who will succeed Gildo as group CEO, subject to shareholder approval. \u201cI spent 10 years working with [Gianluca] on numerous projects that felt like mission impossible \u2014 Covid, the IPO [in 2021], the acquisition of Thom Browne [in 2018], of Tom Ford Fashion [in 2023], some of the restructuring \u2014 he passed the test and I think that he was ready to do more,\u201d Gildo says. \u201cAt the moment, we still have many opportunities to seek.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Gildo\u2019s sons, Edoardo and Angelo Zegna, who are 39 and 37, respectively, will become co-CEOs of the Zegna brand. Edoardo, currently Zegna chief marketing and digital officer, as well as group chief sustainability officer, will lead all aspects of brand strategy, from image to marketing, as well as design-focused matters alongside artistic director Alessandro Sartori. Angelo, currently Zegna CEO for the EMEA region and global client strategy director, will oversee product development, merchandising and commercial strategy.<\/p>\n

    \u201c\u200aIt\u2019s a nice experience to promote two young men,\u201d Gildo says, referring to his two sons. \u201cI have the courage to make it happen in a moment in which I\u2019m still very healthy and very energized. For me, it\u2019s to step ahead, not backwards.\u201d<\/p>\n

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    (Left to right) Angelo Zegna, Gildo Zegna, Gianluca Tagliabue and Eduardo Zegna.<\/p>\n

    <\/span>Photo: Courtesy of Zegna<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    The Zegna brand has been resilient during the luxury downturn, thanks to a focus on top customers and markets such as the US and the Middle East. \u201cWe brought a fashion show and Villa Zegna [a private, members-only pop-up] to Dubai. We had incredible results locally and we are seeing the effect of that investment around the world, which gave us the confidence to do more in the years to come,\u201d Gildo says.<\/p>\n

    Zegna sales were up 2% in the third quarter of fiscal 2025. Thom Browne, however, has taken a hit from wholesale exposure. \u201cWe have a very iconic brand, very recognized in some parts of the world, like Japan and Korea, and [we are] strengthening our position in China. But we were [relying] too much on wholesale, so we decided to cut wholesale abruptly and had to learn how to run retail properly,\u201d says Gildo. \u201cThese are some of the opportunities and challenges that will be brought forward in 2026.\u201d Sales at Thom Browne were down 9.6% in Q3.<\/p>\n

    Meanwhile, 0.9% sales growth at Tom Ford Fashion indicates the brand is heading in a positive direction. \u201cWith [creative director] Haider Ackermann, I think we made the right choice. It\u2019s doing pretty well. We are strengthening our retail, our presence in womenswear, in leather \u2014 and we want to create a stronger fashion brand,\u201d Gildo says. As for the group, revenues rose 0.2% to \u20ac398.2 million in Q3 2025. \u201cThe new organization will help propel the strategy,\u201d he adds. \u201cIt will also foster focus, speed and execution for the three brands\u201d.<\/p>\n

    These moves mark \u201cthe first step toward a long-awaited succession plan\u201d, according to Jefferies analysts.<\/p>\n

    \u201cAmid the debate over whether Angelo or Edoardo Zegna would succeed Gildo Zegna as Zegna brand CEO, the decision to appoint them as co-CEOs delivers the best of both worlds,\u201d Jefferies analysts added in a note. \u201cRecently, expectations leaned toward Angelo, who is based in Milan \u2014 versus Edoardo in London \u2014 and who has greater visibility among investors. But Angelo\u2019s hands-on experience and Edoardo\u2019s broader divisional expertise creates a well-balanced leadership mix.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Mario Ortelli, managing partner at Ortelli & Co., agrees. \u201cInvestors should be pleased. The family has highlighted a clear succession plan, with continuity in mind: Gianluca has been in the company as CFO for almost 10 years and will reinforce the organization for the next generation,\u201d he says. \u201cGildo\u2019s sons are now at the helm of the group\u2019s flagship brand, Zegna, showing the full commitment of the next generation.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

    Source URL: http:\/\/vogue.com\/article\/its-to-step-ahead-not-backwards-gildo-zegna-on-succession-planning<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Executive Interviews \u201c\u200aIt\u2019s to Step Ahead, Not Backwards\u201d: Gildo Zegna on Succession Planning By Laure Guilbault November 24, 2025 The Zegna 2026 Cruise Show in Dubai in June.Photo: Victor Boyko\/Getty Images Ermenegildo \u201cGildo\u201d Zegna is succession planning. On Monday, the Zegna Group chair and CEO announced a new leadership structure for the group and its […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":733510,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[50],"class_list":["post-733509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-vogue-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/733509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=733509"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/733509\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/733510"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=733509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=733509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=733509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}