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Marcolin: Giovanni Zoppas to head eyewear joint-venture with LVMH
Italian eyewear manufacturer Marcolin has reshuffled its senior management ahead of the creation of a joint-venture with French luxury giant LVMH. In a press release, Marcolin stated that its objective is to ensure "top performances for both corporations." Marcolin is owned by the PAI investment fund, and has appointed Giovanni Zoppas as CEO of the recently created joint-venture company, dubbed Thelios.
In January, Marcolin, whose portfolio includes licenses from labels including Tom Ford; Balenciaga; Moncler; Roberto Cavalli; Tod’s; Dsquared2 and Diesel, had announced its intention to collaborate with LVMH on an eyewear business. The project kicked off this year with an increase in capital for the eyewear specialist of 21.9 million euros, as well as the formation of the Thelios joint venture, for which it owns a 49% stake, the remaining 51% belonging to LVMH.
The company has set up in Longarone, north-eastern Italy, where Marcolin is based, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to FashionNetwork.com. It will launch its business with eyewear collections for Céline, a label belonging to the French luxury giant. Its aim: to become the privileged business partner specialising in eyewear also for the other labels of the group.
As such, the group is rejigging its management, promoting Giovanni Zoppas, who joined Marcolin in early 2012 as CEO, to the post of Group Executive Vice-President.
Besides the director's role in the joint-venture with LVMH, in his new position Zoppas will also retain a series of "strategic functions connected with the licensing, international business, human resources, legal affairs and institutional communications departments," wrote the group.
Zoppas started his business career at Andersen Consulting, then joined the Benetton group, where he notably worked as financial controller for the international business. From 2003 to 2006 he was the General Manager of winter sports brand Nordica, then joined the Coin retail group as CFO and COO.
He will be replaced as CEO at Marcolin by Massimo Renon, an Italian manager who made a lightning career start with the eyewear manufacturer, having joined the group at the start of the year as Worldwide Commercial General Manager. Renon is very experienced in the eyewear and retail sectors, and worked formerly for Luxottica, Safilo and Kering Eyewear.
Last January, Marcolin announced it was forging closer links with LVMH, to create a joint-venture eyewear company from 2018, focusing on the Céline and Louis Vuitton labels. Marcolin's portfolio of licensed brands also includes Tom Ford, Balenciaga, Moncler, Roberto Cavalli, Tod's, Dsquared2 and Diesel.
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