LVMH’s senior adviser is going to Prada: Andrea Guerra, ex-CEO of eyewear giant Luxottica, is set to join the iconic Italian luxury fashion group ahead of its handover to the second generation

Nov 30 , 2022

Ex-CEO of eye-wear giant Luxottica Andrea Guerra leaves LVMH to join Prada. Photo: Getty Images, Bloomberg

Patrizio Bertelli, CEO and controlling shareholder of the Hong Kong-listed Italian luxury brand, has tapped Guerra for a senior role before handing Prada SpA to his son, Lorenzo Bertelli

Guerra was formerly an executive chairman of high-end food emporium Eataly and even a one-time strategic adviser to former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi

LVMH’s senior adviser Andrea Guerra may join Hong Kong-listed Italian luxury group Prada SpA in a senior role, daily La Repubblica reported on November 29.

Andrea Guerra, former executive chairman of Eataly and senior adviser at LVMH. Photo: Getty Images

Prada’s CEO and controlling shareholder Patrizio Bertelli has chosen Andrea Guerra to strengthen and lead the fashion giant’s first line of managers, ahead of the handover to the second generation represented by eldest son Lorenzo Bertelli, the newspaper said, without citing any sources.

Prada could announce the appointment of Guerra, a former chief executive of Italian eyewear giant Luxottica, in early January, the paper added.

Prada launched a turnaround strategy in 2017 to halt a decline in sales and profit margins. Photo: Bloomberg

Guerra was also a one-time strategic adviser to former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi. In 2020, he joined LVMH from Italian high-end food emporium Eataly, where he had been executive chairman since 2015.

Andrea Guerra to lead the senior management of Prada before Patrizio Bertelli hands over to his eldest son Lorenzo Bertelli. Photo: Getty Images

Guerra did not reply to a request for comment, while Prada declined to comment.

“We believe Guerra would add invaluable experience and significant gravitas to the Prada senior management team,” broker Jefferies said in a note, adding the market would welcome the news given the group was initiating a phase of succession.

Miuccia Prada and her husband Patrizio Bertelli, Prada’s CEO and controlling shareholder. Photo: Handout

Bertelli, who owns the luxury group together with his wife and designer Miuccia Prada, said last year he could hand over the reins of the group to his son Lorenzo, who is the group’s marketing chief, in three years’ time.

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