LONDON (Reuters) -British fashion house Burberry named Jonathan Akeroyd as its new chief executive officer from next April, appointing the current boss of Milan-based Gianni Versace and former Alexander McQueen head to succeed Marco Gobbetti.
The 165-year-old group had since June been searching for a replacement for Gobbetti, who had sought to elevate Burberry in the luxury sector during his four years at the helm. He is due to leave on Dec. 31.
Burberry, known for its trench coats and trademark plaid, said in its statement on Wednesday that British national Akeroyd has accelerated growth at Italy’s famous fashion house during his five year tenure there.
Gerry Murphy, chairman of Burberry, said that Akeroyd was the right choice to build on the British brand’s creative heritage.
“Jonathan is an experienced leader with a strong track record in building global luxury fashion brands and driving profitable growth,” he said.
(Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Kate Holton and James Davey)
