Kering Names Renault’s Luca de Meo as New CEO in Bold Bid for Luxury Turnaround

In a surprise shakeup at the top of French luxury giant Kering, the group behind Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Balenciaga has appointed Luca de Meo — a veteran automotive executive and former CEO of Renault — as its new chief executive. The move marks a dramatic industry crossover as Kering looks to revive sluggish growth and inject new energy into its fashion portfolio.

De Meo, 58, leaves Renault after four years, with past leadership roles at Volkswagen, Fiat, and Toyota. Despite having no fashion experience, he’s known for bold brand repositioning and innovation — qualities Kering’s board, led by outgoing CEO François-Henri Pinault, is now betting on. Pinault, 63, who transformed his family's retail empire into a luxury powerhouse, called de Meo “the leader I was looking for” to take the group into its next phase.

Kering has struggled to keep pace with rivals like LVMH, with once-mighty Gucci facing cooling sales and uneven creative direction. De Meo officially takes the helm on September 15, entering an industry known for storytelling, status, and style — far from the dashboards and assembly lines of his past. Whether his outsider perspective is the jolt Kering needs remains to be seen, but the fashion world will be watching closely.