ercially successful periods. Prior to that, he was president of Europe at Fendi, and spent nearly a decade in senior leadership roles at Christian Dior Couture, managing key markets including Italy, France and Monaco. “Andrea brings solid international leadership experience in the luxury, fashion, and retail sectors, having held high-level strategic and commercial roles across Europe,” Diesel said in a statement.  Reporting directly to Ubaldo Minelli, who has led the group since early 2023, Rigogliosi inherits a label that has quietly regained relevance with younger consumers, even as its parent group navigates a tougher financial cycle. “Together with the team, I am sure that he will further enhance Diesel’s potential at a crucial stage in the brand’s evolution,” said Renzo Rosso, founder of Diesel and chairman of the OTB Group.  The end of a founder-led interregnum The appointment closes a prolonged leadership chapter that began in 2023, when Poletto departed the label. His short tenure followed that of Massimo Piombini, who led the brand from 2020 to 2023.  In the aftermath, Rosso assumed direct oversight of Diesel, effectively steering it through a volatile post-pandemic landscape while leaving the CEO seat formally vacant. Founder-led interregnums are not uncommon in fashion, particularly during moments of market uncertainty. But when such arrangements stretch beyond a transitional phase, they can become structurally limiting. “When a CEO role stays vacant for more than two years, it stops being a gap and starts being a governance pattern,” says Glen Harrison, vice president of Sigma Assessment Systems. “That kind of founder-led ‘hold the centre’ phase can work in turbulence, but it usually comes with hidden costs: slowed decisions, unclear decision rights, and an organisation that waits for the founder’s signal.” Diesel is a bright spot in a softer group performance OTB closed fiscal 2024 with turnover down 4.9 per cent to €1.7 billion, while EBITDA declined 20 per cent to €275.8 million. Against that backdrop, Diesel stood out as a relative bright spot, posting a 7.4 per cent increase in sales across stores and online. Much of that momentum has been attributed to the creative reset driven by Glenn Martens, who has reenergised Diesel’s aesthetic by leaning into its archival irreverence while sharpening its contemporary edge. The challenge now is operationalising that vision at scale.  Rigogliosi steps into the role at a delicate inflection point for OTB. The group has undergone notable leadership and creative changes in recent years, including the departure of John Galliano from Maison Margiela and his replacement by Martens. With brands ranging from Jil Sander and Marni to Viktor&Rolf, and a stake in Amiri, OTB’s portfolio spans multiple creative and commercial identities. Strengthening governance at the brand level is essential if the group is to balance autonomy with financial discipline. In a statement welcoming Rigogliosi, Rosso described Diesel as “the only alternative to the luxury world,” capable of embodying inclusivity and a democratic spirit at a time when traditional luxury codes are increasingly under scrutiny. Asia takes centre stage Geography will be central to his mandate. OTB has made clear in its statement that Asia is a strategic priority. Last year, the company opened a new regional headquarters in Shanghai at the Lee Gardens building in Jing’an. In 2024, the company opened 16 new stores across key cities such as Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo.  Speaking in Shanghai to mark Diesel’s 20th anniversary in China last year, Rosso struck a notably bullish tone. “I am positive,” he told Reuters, arguing that a softer market presents an opportunity rather than a retreat.  OTB has been closing underperforming stores, but reinvesting in stronger locations where rents and prime spaces have become available.  “If the market is going like this, it can be an opportunity because we can have better space for a better price,” Rosso said. “My vision right now is to invest in the country.” The stance runs counter to the caution seen elsewhere in luxury. China’s consumer appetite has been dampened by a prolonged property crisis, job insecurity and slowing economic growth. For global luxury brands, however, China remains indispensable, accounting for roughly a third of worldwide high-end spending. Even modest signs of recovery have an outsized impact. Further reading: Why Prada’s Lorenzo Bertelli will lead Versace’s most critical turnaround yet.