Marco Gobbetti takes over as the new CEO of Burberry

Burberry has announced new leadership roles for its senior team. The move, Burberry said, are part of the ongoing business review that is targeting future growth opportunities in retail, product and digital enabled by changes to ways of working.

Christopher Bailey will now take on the new role of President and Chief Creative Officer overseeing all elements of brand and design working in partnership with the new Chief Executive Officer Marco Gobbetti. Gobbetti will be responsible for all commercial, operational and financial elements of the business and will join the board in 2017. Bailey will transition to his new role at that time and will remain on the board. Both will report directly to the Chairman Sir John Peace.

Gobbetti leaves Céline to join Burberry

On the new appointments, Christopher Bailey said, "I am very excited that Marco Gobbetti is joining us as Chief Executive Officer and as a partner to me. Marco brings incredible experience and skills in luxury and retail with him that will be invaluable to us.”

Marco Gobbetti is currently Chairman and CEO of French luxury brand, Céline. With more than 20 years of experience in the luxury industry he holds a record for growing and developing brands including Givenchy, Moschino and Bottega Veneta. Most recently, at Céline, his retail and customer focused strategies have delivered exceptional growth for the brand over the last eight years.

Julie Brown named COO and CFO

In another development, Julie Brown has been appointed to the new role of Chief Operating & Financial Officer. Reporting to the CEO, Julie Brown will join the business and the board in early 2017 at the latest and will have responsibility for finance, investor relations, IT, global business services and business transformation. She is currently chief financial officer at the global medical technology business Smith and Nephew plc.

“I am very pleased to be announcing the appointment of Julie Brown as Chief Operating and Financial Officer. This is an important new role combining a number of functions together with oversight of our ways of working efficiencies,” added Bailey.

Burberry's current Chief Financial Officer, Carol Fairweather has decided to leave the business to pursue new opportunities. She will help to manage the transition following Brown's arrival stepping down from the board by the end of January 2017 and leaving the company at the end of the financial year.

picture: GFW