Benetton CEO Claudio Sforza is assembling his senior executive team to lead the restructuring and relaunch of the iconic Italian ready-to-wear brand. Effective 2nd September, Cristina Girelli will succeed Iacopo Martini as CFO, while Paolo Venturini, a consultant with Era Group, will take over from Martino Boselli as head of sales.
Sforza has also introduced a new position within Benetton: head of purchasing, responsible for overseeing the group’s expenditure budgets. This role will be filled by Vincenzo Meles, who previously led purchasing at Ilva, Natuzzi, and other major Italian companies.
Appointed CEO on 18th June, following the AGM that approved Benetton’s renewed governance structure, Sforza has also seen the appointments of Christian Coco as president and Andrea Pezzangora as a board member. Throughout the summer, Sforza has been working on a relaunch plan for the brand, which is expected to be unveiled in the autumn.
The team Sforza has chosen is a seasoned group, with a history of working together at various points in their careers. Girelli and Meles were both at Ilva during Sforza’s tenure as COO, and Girelli also worked with Enrico Laghi, the current CEO of Benetton’s holding company Edizione S.p.a., at Alitalia. Venturini previously served as head of sales at Postel between 2009 and 2011, when Sforza was the CEO.
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