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
Ermenegildo “Gildo” Zegna is currently the Chairman and CEO of Ermenegildo Zegna Group.
A member of the Zegna family’s third generation, Mr. Zegna oversees the company founded by his grandfather and namesake in 1910. In December 2021, he led the Group through its public listing on the New York Stock Exchange, making history as the first Italian luxury Group listed on the world’s largest stock exchange.
Mr. Zegna was born in Turin, Italy, in 1955, and graduated from the University of London in 1978. After starting his career at Bloomingdale’s in New York, he joined the family business in 1982, leading Zegna’s business in North America and then in Spain. In 1989, he joined the company’s Board of Directors and served as Co-Chief Executive Officer from 1998 to 2006.
In addition to his role at the Zegna Group, he 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. In 2021, he was appointed as President of Filati Biagioli Modesto S.r.l.
Since 2013, he has been a member of the Strategic Committee and Advisor of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (The National Chamber for Italian Fashion) and has been an active 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, a prestigious award given to an Italian leader who has meaningfully promoted Italy’s image on a global scale, from the President of the Italian Republic in 2016.
Mr. Zegna oversaw the successful acquisition and integration of Thom Browne in 2018, as well as the recent rebranding of Zegna in 2021. Prior to this, 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.
Under his leadership, the Zegna brand – which started as a single wool mill in Trivero, Italy – has grown into a leading Italian luxury Group that encompasses a one-of-a-kind Made in Italy Luxury Textile Laboratory Platform that produces some of the world’s finest textiles and fabrics.
Sergio P. Ermotti
LEAD NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mr. Ermotti is currently a member of the Zegna Board, a position he has held since 2021. Mr. Ermotti serves as the Chair (voorzitter) under the Dutch law and has been granted the title Lead Non-Executive Director.
Mr. Ermotti is currently Group Chief Executive Officer and President of the Group Executive Board of UBS Group. He was previously Group Chief Executive Officer from September 2011 to October 2020, having joined the Group Executive Board in April 2011.
Mr. Ermotti was elected to the Board of Directors of Swiss Re Ltd. in 2020 and has been Chairman of the Board of Directors since April 2021. At Swiss Re Ltd., he also chairs the Governance and Nomination Committee.
Prior to this, 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 is currently a member of the Zegna Board, a position he has held since 2021.
Mr. Bonomi is Investindustrial’s Founder and Chairman of the Industrial and Advisory Teams’ Committees. Prior to founding Investindustrial in 1990, Andrea was responsible for the Saffa Group (a diversified holding company) and investments in Europe and the United States. Prior to Saffa, he worked at Kleinwort Benson in London, where he was responsible for Spain and Italy, and at Lazard Frères & Co. in New York.
Mr. Bonomi has been a private equity investor for 30 years and has served as chairman or director in a number of industrial and financial companies, including BPM, RCS MediaGroup, Permasteelisa, 21 Investimenti, 21 Centrale Partners and Inversiones Ibersuizas.
He is a Trustee of New York University, a member of the NYU President’s Global Council and 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 is currently a member of the Zegna Board, a position she has held since 2021, and also serves as member of the Governance and Sustainability Committee.
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. In 2022, she has been appointed as a member of Board of Directors of AMI 9 Holding (AMI Paris), Rare Inc. (WE11DONE) and Holzweizer Oslo. 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 Zegna Board, a position he has held since 2005, and also serves as member of the Compensation Committee.
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 and 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 Conde Nast, Bausch & Lomb Incorporated, Delta Airlines, Inc., Gap, Inc., Newell Brands Inc. and Procter & Gamble.
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 Zegna Board, a position he has held since 2019, and also serves as member of the Audit Committee and Governance and Sustainability Committee. Mr. Johnson is also a member of the board of directors of Ermenegildo Zegna Corporation, a subsidiary of Zegna in the United States.
Mr. Johnson is the founder of Enjoy Technology Inc., where he has served as Chief Executive Officer from 2014, through the sale of the majority of the assets of the company in 2022 and shutdown of the remainder of the company in 2022.. He also serves as a member of the board of directors of Globality, Inc., Philz Coffee, Inc. and Fish Six Restaurant Corp (d/b/a The Melt).
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 1984 to 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 is currently a member of the Zegna Board, a position she has held since 2021. Ms. Mars also serves as chairperson of the Audit Committee and member of the Compensation 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., a NASDAQ listed company, from 1994 to 2000.
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 Zegna Board, a position he has held since 2017. He also serves as chairperson of the Governance and Sustainability Committee and member of the Audit 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. In 2022, he was appointed as a member of the board of directors of Palazzo Feroni Finanziaria S.p.A., engaged in the business of real estate and luxury hospitality. He is also director of Horacio Pagani S.p.A. and 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 Zegna Board, a position he has held since 2014. He also serves as chairperson of the Compensation Committee and as director of Consitex SA, a subsidiary of Zegna.
Mr. Peter serves on the board of directors of Swiss Life AG (Switzerland’s largest life insurance company) and, among others, of 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 S.p.A. 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 and in 2022 he joined the board of directors of the Swiss cooperative Kellerhals Carrard Genossenschaft. He has also served since 1997 as professor of business law, and since 2017 as President of the Geneva Center for Philanthropy, at the University of Geneva.
Mr. Peter is Vice-Chairman of Swiss Sports Disciplinary Chamber of the Swiss Olympic Association in charge of disciplinary 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 and executive committee of the Foundation of the Swiss Italian Art Museum (MASI).
Anna Zegna
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ms. Zegna is currently a member of the Zegna Board, a position she has held since 2018.
Ms. Zegna is also Sustainability Officer of Oasi Zegna, where she has served since 2014; prior she 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 of Monterubello 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.
Mr. Ermenegildo Zegna di Monte Rubello and Ms. Anna Zegna di Monte Rubello are siblings.
Paolo Zegna
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mr. Zegna is currently a member of the Zegna Board, where he has served as Chairman from 2006 until December 2021. Previously, he served as a member of the Zegna Board 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., Achill Station Pty Ltd. and Achill Land Pty Ltd., and a member of the board of directors of Bonotto S.p.A., Gruppo Dondi S.p.A. and Elah Dufour S.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 also served 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. Paolo Zegna di Monte Rubello is a cousin to Mr. Ermenegildo Zegna di Monte Rubello and Ms. Anna Zegna di Monte Rubello.