Hugues Bonnet-Masimbert named CEO of Rimowa

By

Isabel LEONHARDT

Published
Jan 8, 2021

Rimowa has appointed Hugues Bonnet-Masimbert as its new CEO, effective immediately. He succeeds Alexandre Arnault, who has become executive VP for product and communications at American jeweler Tiffany & Co., after four years leading Rimowa's acquisition, integration and development departments. 

"I'd like to express my sincere gratitude to all of Rimowa's teams for the four years that we have spent together. Thanks to their energy, their commitment and their talent, our house has undergone a profound transformation. The efforts put in place to increase creativity, develop production resources and redefine our economic model have strengthened Rimowa's leadership," stated Arnault, who will continue to serve at the German luggage brand as non-executive president. 

As a member of Tiffany's new management team, Arnault will take part in the restructuring of the iconic jewelry company, following its recent acquisition by LVMH for $15.8 billion.

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Rimowa has been owned by LVMH since 2017. Bonnet-Masimbert, who joined the group in 1996, is an experienced and respected industry executive. He has has held commercial management roles at five LVMH brands: Loewe, Celine, Louis Vuitton, Berluti and, since 2018, Rimowa.

"Rimowa is a dynamic company. We have succeeded in restoring its position as a leading brand in the global travel sector, which is constantly evolving. I am very excited, because I can see a number of opportunities for fostering the brand's growth, strategic development and innovative ideas," explained the executive. 

At Rimowa, Bonnet-Masimbert initiated and supervised the repositioning of the brand's distribution, the restructuring of its commercial model and the establishment and development of its e-commerce channel. 

"Over the last three years, Hugues has been one of the main contributors to our success, and I'm delighted to see him in this new role. I know that, under his management, Rimowa will continue on its ambitious growth path and come out of the current situation stronger than ever," said Arnault. 

Bonnet-Masimbert will report to Patrice Wagner, who will maintain his responsibilities as CEO of the Le Bon Marché group, but will also be putting his expertise to use at Rimowa, where he will offer support for product and creative activations, elements that have proved to be key to Bon Marché's success. 

"Thanks to our efficient and inspired teams, to our loyal and reliable partners, and to the value of our offering and the exceptional services offered to our customers, we will continue to improve the efficiency of our operations, production and distribution, all while conserving our heritage of German engineering, our innovation and creativity, and our savoir-faire at the heart of our DNA," concluded Bonnet-Masimbert.