Stéphane Bianchi, the current head of LVMH’s Watches & Jewellery division, is set to take on even greater responsibilities with the addition of luxury brand Bulgari to his portfolio. This announcement highlights Bianchi’s significant career progression within LVMH and marks a major milestone for him.
Bulgari, a renowned name in the luxury watches and fine jewellery industry, will now be overseen by Bianchi, who already manages other prestigious brands under LVMH such as Chaumet, Fred, Tag Heuer, Hublot, and Zenith. The group released a statement emphasizing the importance of Bulgari’s addition to Bianchi’s career, and officially declared him as the president of the Watches & Jewellery division and a member of LVMH’s executive committee.
This appointment also represents a strategic consolidation within LVMH, as the businesses under the Watches & Jewellery division will now be under Bianchi’s supervision. Although each brand will retain its individual management, there will be an increased emphasis on a shared hard luxury strategy to encourage knowledge-sharing and resource pooling for faster progress.
Jean-Christophe Babin, the CEO of Bulgari, will continue in his role but will now report directly to Stéphane Bianchi instead of Group Managing Director Toni Belloni. However, it’s important to note that Tiffany & Co., the recently acquired US jewellery brand, will continue to operate independently from the Watches & Jewellery division.
Stéphane Bianchi joined LVMH in 2018 to oversee the group’s watch brands and has played a pivotal role in their success. He personally led Tag Heuer before passing the baton to Frédéric Arnault, the fourth son of LVMH’s founder, Bernard Arnault, in July of last year. In addition to his responsibilities with Tag Heuer, Bianchi has also overseen the operations of Hublot and Zenith. Two years later, he was entrusted with heading the entire Watches & Jewellery division and incorporating Chaumet and Fred into his portfolio.
Before joining LVMH, Bianchi enjoyed a successful career with the Yves Rocher group, where he held various leadership positions. This includes serving as the CEO of Petit Bateau from 2005 to 2009 and the CEO of Yves Rocher from 1998 to 2015. Bianchi is also a member of the board of directors of Swiss group Maus Frères.
With Stéphane Bianchi taking on an expanded role and the addition of prestigious brand Bulgari, LVMH aims to further fortify its position in the luxury watches and jewellery market. The group’s dedication to a hard luxury strategy and the integration of brands under Bianchi’s leadership will undoubtedly pave the way for accelerated progress and continued success in this fiercely competitive industry.
To learn more about LVMH’s Watches & Jewellery division and its brands, please visit their official website here.
To explore Bulgari’s exquisite range of luxury watches and fine jewellery, please visit their official website here.
