CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Board of Directors
Executive Directors are primarily responsible for all day-to-day operations of the Company, while Non-Executive Directors have oversight responsibilities.
For more details about the role and functioning of the Board of Directors, please refer to the Articles of Association and the Regulations of the Board of Directors.
Ermenegildo Zegna
CHAIRPERSON, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mr. Zegna has been Chief Executive Officer of Zegna since 2006, having served on the Company’s board since 1989 and as Co-Chief Executive Officer from 1998 to 2006. Under his leadership, Zegna has pursued a strategy of vertical integration and has experienced its most extensive growth stage driven by continuous international expansion in countries within the Middle East, Australia, Brazil and Africa.
Mr. Zegna joined the family business in 1982, managing distribution of Zegna products in the United States and Canada, as President of Ermenegildo Zegna Corporation. From 1986 to 1989, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Italco SA, supervising distribution of Zegna productsin Spain. Mr. Zegna was actively involved in Zegna’s expansion in America and Europe, and in 1991 he oversaw the opening of the brand’s first store in China.
Mr. Zegna is also Chairman of the board of directors of Monterubello and Thom Browne Inc. and a board member of Tom Ford International LLC. He also served as a member of the board of directors of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. from 2014 to 2021.
Since 2013, Mr. Zegna has been a member of the board of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (The National Chamber for Italian Fashion), a non-profit association committed to promoting the development of Italian fashion, and a member of the Council for the United States and Italy. In 2011, Mr. Zegna was nominated Cavaliere del Lavoro by the President of the Italian Republic, and received the Leonardo Prize from the President of the Italian Republic in 2016.
Born in Turin (Italy) in 1955, Mr. Zegna is a graduate in economics from the University of London.
Sergio P. Ermotti
INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR LEAD NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Sergio P. Ermotti was appointed as a member of the board of directors of Zegna on December 17, 2021, where he serves as Lead Non-Executive Director.
Mr. Ermotti was elected to the board of directors of Swiss Re Ltd. in April 2020 and has been Chairman of the board of directors since April 2021.
Mr. Ermotti was Group Chief Executive Officer of UBS Group from September 2011 to October 2020, having joined the Group Executive Board in April 2011. Before, he was at UniCredit Group, serving as Head of the Markets & Investment Banking Division as of December 2005, and from 2007 to 2010, as Group Deputy Chief Executive Officer responsible for Corporate and Investment Banking and Private Banking. Between 1987 and 2004, he held various positions at Merrill Lynch & Co in the areas of equity derivatives and capital markets. He became Co-Head of Global Equity Markets and a member of the Executive Management Committee for Global Markets & Investment Banking in 2001.
Born in Lugano (Switzerland) in 1960, Mr. Ermotti is a Swiss-certified banking expert and a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Oxford University.
Andrea C. Bonomi
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mr. Bonomi was appointed as a member of the board of directors of Zegna on December 17, 2021.
Mr. Bonomi established Investindustrial in 1990 and Invest for Children in 2000 and currently serves as Chairman of the Industrial Advisory Board.
Previously, he was responsible for the Saffa Group (a diversified industrial holding company) investments in Europe and the USA, which included acquisitions, divestments and fund raising. He has been chairman or director of a number of industrial and financial companies including Banca Popolare di Milano, RCS MediaGroup, Illycaffé S.p.A. and 21 Investimenti, 21 Centrale Partners and Inversiones Ibersuizas in the private equity industry. Prior to that, he was employed at Kleinwort Benson in London, and at Lazard Frères & Co. in New York. In both cases, he was assigned to their respective merger and acquisitions departments. He is a Trustee of New York University and a Private Equity Awards “Hall of Fame” (2018) inductee.
Born in New York City (USA) in 1965, Mr. Bonomi holds a B.Sc. in Business Administration from New York University.
Angelica Cheung
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ms. Cheung was appointed as a member of the board of directors of Zegna on December 17, 2021.
Ms. Cheung was the founding Editor-in-Chief of Vogue China and served as its Editor-in-Chief from 2005 to 2020. In February 2021, Ms. Cheung joined Sequoia Capital China as Venture Partner where she focuses on investments in the fashion/lifestyle/entertainment industry, especially the new generation of Chinese innovation and international brands seeking expansion in China. Since June 2021, Ms. Cheung has served on the board of directors of SSense, a Montreal-based fashion platform. She is Asia ambassador for the British Fashion Council, serves on the Advisory Board of Advance Global Alumni and is a strategic advisor to several international brands.
Born in Beijing (China) in 1966, Ms. Cheung holds degrees in law and literature from Beijing University as well as a M.B.A. from the University of South Australia.
Domenico De Sole
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mr. De Sole is currently a member of the board of directors of Zegna, a position he has held since 2005.
Mr. De Sole is the co-founder of luxury retailer Tom Ford International, LLC and has been the Chairman of its board of directors since its formation in 2005. During this time, Mr. De Sole also advised private equity firms in transactions in the field of fashion business.
From 1984 to 1994, Mr. De Sole served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Gucci America, and, from 1994 to 2004, he served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Gucci Group, which during his tenure made significant acquisitions such as YSL, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga.
Mr. De Sole has served on numerous public and private company boards of directors, including his current role as director of Pirelli & C. S.p.A. He formerly served as Chairman of Sotheby’s, and director of Bausch & Lomb Incorporated, Delta Airlines, Inc., Gap, Inc., Newell Brands Inc., Procter & Gamble and Telecom Italia S.p.A.
Born in Rome (Italy) in 1944, Mr. De Sole graduated from the University of Rome with a law degree and received a L.L.M. from Harvard Law School where he also currently serves as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board.
Ronald B. Johnson
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mr. Johnson is currently a member of the board of directors of Zegna, a position he has held since 2019.
Mr. Johnson is the founder of Enjoy Technology Inc., where he has served as Chief Executive Officer since 2014. He also serves as a member of the board of directors of Globality, Inc., Philz Coffee, Inc., Fish Six Restaurant Corp (d/b/a The Melt) and other private companies.
Previously, Mr. Johnson served as the Chief Executive Officer of JCPenney Company, Inc. from November 2011 to April 2013, Senior Vice President of Retail at Apple Inc. from January 2000 to October 2011, and Vice President of Merchandising at Target Corporation from September 1984to December 1999.
Born in Minneapolis (USA) in 1958, Mr. Johnson holds a B.A. in Economics from Stanford University and a M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Valerie A. Mars
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CHAIR OF THE AUDIT COMMITEE
Ms. Mars was appointed as a member of the board of directors of Zegna on December 17, 2021, where she also serves as chairperson of the Audit Committee.
Ms. Mars currently serves as Senior Vice President & Head of Corporate Development for Mars, Incorporated, a diversified food business operating in over 120 countries, where she focuses on acquisitions, joint ventures and divestitures for the company.
Previously, Ms. Mars served as a member of the board of directors of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. from 2014 until its merger with Peugeot S.A. in 2021, Ahlstrom-Munksjo, a Finnish/Swedish listed specialty paper business, from 2018 until its delisting in 2021, and Celebrity Inc., aNASDAQ listed company, from 1994 to 2000.
Ms. Mars began her career with Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company as a training program participant and rose to Assistant Secretary. Prior to joining Mars, Incorporated, Ms. Mars was a controller with Whitman Heffernan Rhein, a boutique investment company. Ms. Mars is also involved in a number of community and educational organizations and currently serves on the Board of Conservation International, where she chairs the Audit Committee.
Born in New York City (USA) in 1959, Ms. Mars holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University and a M.B.A. from the Columbia Business School.
Michele Norsa
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CHAIR OF THE GOVERNANCE & SUSTAINABILITY COMMITEE
Mr. Norsa is currently a member of the board of directors of Zegna, a position he has held since 2017. He also serves as chairperson of the Governance and Sustainability Committee.
Until December 31, 2021, Mr. Norsa was Executive Vice Chairman of Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A., where he previously served as Chief Executive Officer from 2006 to 2016. He is also a member of the International Advisory Board of the China Europe International Business School in Shanghai (CEIBS). Previously, Mr. Norsa served on the board of directors of Thom Browne Inc., Rocco Forte Hotels, Oettinger Davidoff Group and Hugo Boss and successfully led two IPOs in the luxury sector (Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A. in 2011 and Valentino Fashion Group S.p.A. in 2005).
Mr. Norsa has extensive experience in the fashion, consumer goods and publishing sectors with Marzotto, Benetton, Sergio Tacchini, Rizzoli Editore and Mondadori Editore.
Born in Lecco (Italy) in 1948, Mr. Norsa graduated in Business and Economics from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan.
Henry Peter
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CHAIR OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITEE
Mr. Peter is currently a member of the board of directors of Zegna, a position he has held since 2014. He also serves as chairperson of the Compensation Committee.
Mr. Peter serves on the board of directors of Swiss Life AG (Switzerland’s largest life insurance company) and Banque Lombard Odier & Cie SA, where he chairs the Audit Committee, and is Chairman of the board of directors of Sigurd Rück AG, a captive reinsurance company of the Italian Saipem SpA group. He was a member of the Swiss Takeover Board between 2004 and 2015 and has been a member of the Sanctions Commission of the SIX Swiss Exchange since 2007.
Born in Boston (USA) in 1957, Mr. Peter holds a Ph.D. in law from the University of Geneva. Since 1988, Mr. Peter has been a partner in a Lugano law firm, currently Kellerhals Carrard Lugano SA. He has also served since 1997 as professor of business law, and since 2017 as President ofthe Geneva Center for Philanthropy, at the University of Geneva.
Mr. Peter is Vice-Chairman of the disciplinary chamber of the Swiss Olympic Association in charge of doping cases, a position he has held since 2001. He is also Chairman of the board of the Foundation for the Lugano Faculties of the Swiss Italian University, member of the audit committee of the University of Geneva and a member of the board of the Foundation of the Swiss Italian Art Museum (MASI).
Anna Zegna
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ms. Zegna is currently a member of the board of directors of Zegna, a position she has held since 2018.
Ms. Zegna has served as head of Oasi Zegna since 2014 and has directed the Store Planning at Zegna from 1995 to 1998 and the Group Image until 2017. Ms. Zegna is still involved in the Store Planning of Zegna as a special advisor. She is also a member of the board of directors ofMonterubello and of the non-profit foundation Fondo Ambiante Italiano (FAI).
Previously, Ms. Zegna headed the public relations department of Gianni Versace from 1982 to 1984 before joining Zegna in 1984 as Head of Corporate Advertising and External Relations Manager. In 1993, along with Laura Zegna, Ms. Zegna developed the Oasi Zegna project, which has over the years become a model of environmental sustainability. In 1998, she won a Green Globe Award for her work at Zegna in support of environmental issues, and was appointed to the management committee of Touring Club Italiano in 2002. In 2007, in recognition of her social commitment, she received a MarcoPolo Award from the prestigious Babson College in Boston. Ms. Zegna is also the President of Fondazione Zegna, where she oversees the planning and coordination of international humanitarian initiatives related to conservation, sustainable development and education.
Born in Turin (Italy) in 1957, Ms. Zegna holds a degree in Political Sciences from the University of Lausanne and did her post-graduate studies in advertising and marketing at Watford College.
Paolo Zegna
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mr. Zegna has served as Chairman of the board of directors of Zegna from 2006 until December 2021. Previously, he served as a member of the board of directors of Zegna from 1989 to 1998 and was Co-Chief Executive Officer from 1998 to 2006.
Mr. Zegna is also Vice-Chairman of the board of directors of Monterubello and Chairman of the board of directors of Lanificio Ermenegildo Zegna e Figli S.p.A. and Achill Station Pty Ltd., and a member of the board of directors of Bonotto S.p.A., Gruppo Dondi S.p.A. and Elah DufourS.p.A.
Mr. Zegna has been a member of the board of Sistema Moda Italia since 2005, which represents companies of the entire supply chain and is the official interlocutor in relations with Italian and international institutions and organizations. He is also serving as Vice President of the Altagamma Foundation, which is committed to gathering high-end cultural and creative companies and increasing the competitiveness of the high-end industry.
Born in Turin (Italy) in 1956, Mr. Zegna holds a degree in Economics from the University of Geneva.
Mr. Ermenegildo Zegna di Monte Rubello and Ms. Anna Zegna di Monte Rubello are siblings. Mr. Paolo Zegna di Monte Rubello is a cousin to Mr. Ermenegildo Zegna di Monte Rubello and Ms. Anna Zegna di Monte Rubello.