Effective Jan. 1, Gildo Zegna, undoubtedly instrumental in shaping the Ermenegildo Zegna Group into the international, publicly listed company it is today and driving it into the 21st century, passed the baton to his two sons.
Although not entirely unexpected, this was a forward-looking choice that stood out in an industry where the generational handover is often not a top priority. However, it is one that must be planned “bravely, when you are in good health, and have the right energy,” said Gildo Zegna at the end of November, when he revealed he would become executive chairman of the group, which in addition to the Zegna brand also comprises Thom Browne and Tom Ford Fashion, in addition to the textile segment.
Zegna, who has led the group since 2006 and was previously group chairman and chief executive officer, turned 70 on Sept. 30 and said that he had started working on the handover plan two years ago, and more actively over the past year.
Chief financial officer Gianluca Tagliabue took on the role of CEO of the group on Jan. 1.
Gildo Zegna’s sons Angelo and Edoardo, members of the family’s fourth generation, were named co-CEOs of the Zegna brand, reporting to Tagliabue.
Angelo Zegna, Gildo Zegna, Gianluca Tagliabue and Edoardo Zegna.
What will the group look like under their leadership? According to their father, they are “complementary and naturally balance each other out. They don’t compete with one another. Edoardo is more extroverted and very rational, Angelo is more execution-driven. They will play for the team with no ego. They have a clear vision and they will continue the family legacy, having demonstrated their business leadership over the past years. Together, they will not only carry forward the brand’s timeless heritage, but strengthen it further.”
It is true their expertise and different skills were developed over the years, also outside the family company.
Edoardo Zegna, 39, has lived in Washington, New York and San Francisco and is currently based in London. He has worked at Gap Inc. with the creative concept team in New York from 2009 to 2011 and after that, from 2011 to 2014, he was head of product at the American fashion brand Everlane and one of the first employees of that company.
He was appointed head of content and innovation and omnichannel at the Ermenegildo Zegna Group in 2014, later becoming chief marketing and digital officer of Zegna as well as group chief sustainability officer. He greatly contributed to Zegna’s One Brand strategy; the entirely traceable Oasi Cashmere collections; the Zegna X digital customization tool aimed at raising the bar of luxury service, and the exclusive Villa Zegna experiences. As co-CEO of Zegna, he will lead all aspects of brand strategy, from brand image to marketing, and, together with Zegna’s artistic director Alessandro Sartori, design matters, including store design.
Angelo Zegna, 37, held the role of CEO of Zegna’s Europe, Middle East and Africa region and global event strategy director and global client strategy director, and as co-CEO he will oversee product development, merchandising and commercial strategy, driving performance across markets and channels.
Earlier in his career he oversaw Zegna’s retail business in the U.S., spearheading transformative programs focused on client experience and commercial excellence, such as an app to offer personalized styling remotely.
Before that he contributed to strategic and operational projects at Luxottica in São Paulo and New York and worked as a consultant with Bain & Company in Mumbai, where he focused on strategy and performance improvement across emerging markets.
As for Tagliabue, before talking on his CFO role, he was chief operating officer, overseeing the supply chain, a key position for Zegna. He’s now tasked with further integrating Thom Browne and Tom Ford Fashion into the group.
In his new role as executive chairman, Gildo Zegna will continue to oversee the group’s textile platform, the foundations of the company.
As well as the group’s textile division, he will oversee the group general counsel’s office (including internal audit), and the external relations department, which encompasses sustainability, investor relations and corporate communications.
The executive has been instrumental in shaping the Zegna group into an international powerhouse with 2024 sales of 1.94 billion euros; selecting Sartori, who has been successfully evolving Zegna’s style; taking control of the Thom Browne brand in 2018; inking a long-term agreement with the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. in 2023 for the production and distribution of the Tom Ford Fashion label, and publicly listing the group on the New York Stock Exchange in December 2021.
