Montblanc appoints new CEO, Giorgio Sarné

The flagship of the Swiss group Richemont, which is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its iconic Meisterstück this year, has just announced the name of its new CEO, Giorgio Sarné. He will take up his post on November 15.

Giorgio Sarné boasts a respectable CV in the world of luxury: before joining the Richemont group, the executive had more than 20 years' experience in the sector, including the Tag Heuer and Veuve Clicquot brands. Before joining Montblanc, he was CEO of fashion retailer Stuart Weitzman (Tapestry) from 2020 to 2024.

Former CEO Nicolas Baretzki, meanwhile, is to join LVMH and the Dior brand as deputy CEO, which has been headed for the past year by CEO Delphine Arnault. After seven years at the helm of Montblanc, his departure makes way for a new vision, with the clear intention of renewing the brand's image and identity. Founded 118 years ago and famous for its top-of-the-range pens, the company is one of the cornerstones of Richemont, alongside other iconic brands such as Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Van Cleef & Arpels.

For several years, Montblanc has been seeking to reinvent itself and revitalise its image to stand out from the growing competition in this market segment. Baretzki had already pushed the company to invest in more contemporary products, but there have been many obstacles, between the stagnation of the Asian market and the arrival of new brands seeking out younger generations of consumers. Richemont is counting on Sarné to speed up this renewal process.

In the last quarter (April to June), Richemont posted sales of 5.3 billion euros, just 1% up on the same period last year. Although the Swiss group has been one of the most resilient luxury behemoths in this challenging economic climate for the sector, its objectives remain growth and strengthening the position of its houses in the face of increased competition.

Giorgio Sarné, a graduate of Milan's prestigious Bocconi University, will have to decipher customers' new demands. After all, consumer habits have changed, especially in the luxury sector. Younger customers are looking for products that represent a perfect balance between historical value, traditional know-how, innovation, and sustainability. This is not always an easy challenge for a brand like Montblanc, which has to navigate between its rich heritage and its innovative approaches.

In a press release, Sarné expressed its desire to ‘further nurture and celebrate the culture of writing on a global scale’. As a first step, the brand has launched a Europe-wide writing competition (Let's Write) from the beginning of September until October 31.