PORTRAITS
STEFANO SACCONE
WOOLRICH’S NEW CEO POISED TO TAKE COMPANY GLOBAL Woolrich’s Italian American CEO Stefano Saccone has just taken the reins of the company. With 20 years in sales, marketing, merchandising and a reputation for guiding top apparel and footwear brands like Ralph Lauren to Nike, Napapijri to Vans, he’s ready to expand the brand's business abroad BY CARLA MERCURIO
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ynamic, athletic, with a curriculum bursting with important experiences, it is not by chance Woolrich tapped Italian-American Stefano Saccone as its new ceo, as the company eyes global growth. The 47 year old who replaces Paolo Corinaldesi was born in Baltimore to Italian parents (his mother stemming from Biella and his father from Naples, both university professors) and enters the company with a dual perspective, which prove an invaluable asset for the management of a US label by birth but European in terms of development, amid a new phase of Woolrich’s brand evolution, focused on its US business. Sacconi is married and lives between Paris and Bologna. He completed his eduction in the USA, graduating with a B.A. in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University followed by an M.B.A. in 2003 at the McDonough School of Business of Georgetown University,Washington. His career started in 1995, with key experiences at important companies including Ermenegildo Zegna, Procter&Gamble, Ralph Lauren and Nike. In 2012 he was approached by VF Corporation, where he climbed the ranks, moving from Napapijri to Eastpak and (recently) Vans, his last post before Woolrich. “Stefano Saccone’s arrival will provide us with a business-oriented imprinting and a more global vision. His international profile and significant professional experience will help us hone in on commercial and marketing experience, at a time in which we
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aim to create a new organisation for • Place of Birth ourselves, aligned with our future Baltimore, Maryland goals,” explains Andrea Canè, the label’s creative director. Canè is a • Degrees long-time proponent of Woolrich’s 1994: B.A. in International Relations, Johns Hopkins University evolution and built up the brand’s success alongside former majority 2003: M.B.A., McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University, Washington D.C. shareholder Cristina Calori, who left last year, after relinquishing • Work Experience the brand to the L-Gam fund, only In 1995 Saccone entered the Ermenegildo Zegna a couple of years after her acquisigroup in New York as Operations Manager and then as Sales Manager tion. Canè and Saccone will guide the brand together, amid a crucial In 2002, he completed a brand management internship at Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, Ohio and time marked by arrivals and deparwent on to become Assistant Brand Manager for the tures, acquisitions and management multinational in Geneva. shifts, which also includes the Ja2005 gets Saccone appointment to Marketing panese Goldwin shareholder, which Director at Ralph Lauren and then to Senior entered into Woolrich as a minority Marketing Director at the company's Geneva headquarters in Switzerland shareholder in 2017. The aim is to boost a growth plan focused on deIn 2009, he was appointed General Manager Sportswear & Actions Sports at Nike, Bologna veloping markets, including North America, Asia, England and FranIn 2012 he entered VF Corporation as VP Sales & Marketing of Napapijri and then became VP/General ce, as well as the consolidation and Manager of Eastpak and recently, of Vans. expansion of the direct to consumer In 2019, he was appointed ceo of Woolrich channel, focusing on e-commerce and omnichannel integration in particular. Saccone is already working with excellent skills, also on the digital on his next moves. At the moment, he prefront. The next official appointment at fers to remain behind the scenes, limiting Woolrich has been scheduled for the end himself to brief “meet & greet” sessions, of August, with the inauguration of a new although he has already summoned anoNew York store on Wooster Street, where ther strategic figure, Mathieu Garcia, his the label already has a store, but in a larger trusted manager with whom he has alrealocation. Looking ahead, the market will dy worked at Ralph Lauren. Saccone has be eyeing the event for forward-looking already appointed Garcia as marketing dipointers on its global expansion. ■ rector — the perfect figure for the label,