LONDON — Making inroads in Asia — and especially China — will be a major priority for Jimmy Choo, which on Monday named Pierre Denis to the post of chief executive officer.
“We are underrepresented in China, and it is a key priority of ours to look at entering that market in the best possible way,” said Reinhard Mieck, ceo of Jimmy Choo’s parent Labelux.
“Pierre has a very in-depth knowledge of Asia, the emerging markets and Europe, and has the strength and understanding to take Jimmy Choo to the next level,” he added. “It’s a very exciting time for us.”
Denis, who was most recently managing director of John Galliano SA, takes over a post left vacant by Joshua Schulman, who joined Bergdorf Goodman earlier this year.
An industry veteran, Denis has also served as managing director for Christian Dior Couture in Asia and subsequently for Europe, the Middle East and India. Prior to that, he was part of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s perfumes and cosmetics division, working with brands such as Christian Dior, Guerlain, and Givenchy. Denis joined John Galliano in 2008. He will report directly to Mieck.
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Denis said it was too early to talk about his strategy going forward, but reiterated that Asia is a priority for the brand, and that he would be spending time getting to know the different Jimmy Choo offices worldwide, in the U.K., Continental Europe, the U.S. and Hong Kong.
He said he joined Jimmy Choo because it offered such a compelling story. “In the past 15 years it’s gone from zero to a global brand with multiple product categories. I’ll be part of the adventure now, and that is exciting,” he said.
According to market sources, Dominique de Longevialle will succeed Denis as managing director of John Galliano SA. He is to report to Sidney Toledano, president of the company and chief executive officer of Christian Dior, the majority owner of the Galliano business.
At present, De Longevialle is the accessory director for Christian Dior Couture. He joined Dior in 1995 from Kenzo, where he had managed its licensing business. Reached on Monday, the Dior fashion house declined to comment.
In other Labelux news, Mieck said there was “no major urgency” in finding a ceo for Bally. Mieck is currently holding down the role of interim ceo at the brand. The last ceo, Berndt Hauptkorn, exited the company at the end of 2011.
“I’m having a lot of fun doing it and I’m pleased with the brand. I want to find the right person for the job, and I’m happy to take my time doing it,” he said.