MILAN — Chief executive officer Attila Kiss has been appointed chairman of Gruppo Florence.
Fabrizio Ciafrei, previously general manager, is succeeding Kiss in the CEO role and Michele Manzari, formerly chief financial officer, is to contribute to the group’s development, organizational evolution, and integration as general manager.
Kiss took the helm as CEO of Florence at its beginning in 2020, when it was founded with three manufacturing companies. “Over the years, we have built at Gruppo Florence a reality that did not previously exist: a unique manufacturing platform within the luxury B2B sector, bringing together tradition and innovation, craftsmanship and industrialization, entrepreneurship and managerial expertise,” he said. “Taking on the role of chairman today is a source of great pride for me. This new governance structure will allow us to address future challenges with even greater solidity, strategic vision, and managerial capability.”
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Ciafrei in his previous role of general manager contributed largely to the development of the group’s manufacturing platform thanks to his experience in executive roles at Luxottica, Loro Piana, and Save the Duck. “I take on this role with a strong sense of responsibility and continuity with the path we have built so far,” he commented. “We will continue investing in industrial integration, the managerial development of the group, and the enhancement of Italian manufacturing excellence, with the goal of further strengthening Gruppo Florence’s position within the global luxury landscape.”
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Manzari, a seasoned executive with extensive experience across the fashion, luxury and manufacturing sectors, including Etro, will contribute to the group’s development and organizational evolution through his new role.
Gruppo Florence was founded in 2020 by a consortium of investors led by private equity fund VAM Investments, Fondo Italiano d’Investimento and Italmobiliare. It was established with the goal of developing a platform to supply high-quality Made in Italy products to major luxury fashion brands, leveraging competitive prices, guaranteeing prompt and flexible deliveries and solutions, while safeguarding the technical and cultural know-how of small and medium-sized family-owned Italian companies.
Today it counts 35 production facilities across nine Italian regions, about 4,500 employees, and active collaborations with more than 100 international brands. It’s controlled by the international fund Permira, while entrepreneurs, the management team, VAM Investments, Fondo Italiano d’Investimento, and Star Capital also have significant stakes.