Ermenegildo Zegna (executive)

Early life

Ermenegildo “Gildo” Zegna was born on September 30, 1955 in Turin, Italy, growing up in Biella. He later graduated in 1978 from London University and studied at Harvard Business School in 1981. Zegna is the namesake of his grandfather Ermenegildo Zegna, who founded his eponymous fashion house in 1910. He is the son of Angelo Zegna, one of Zegna’s two sons. Zegna began his career as a buyer at Bloomingdales in New York City during the 1970s. While there he worked under Marvin Traub, who taught Zegna about fashion merchandizing.

Career

Zegna took over a corporate role in the company during the 1980s alongside his siblings, with positions including the head of the company’s American Zegna company as of 1984 and the company’s ready-to-wear division until 1988, ending the decade as the head of the apparel division. In the early 1990s Zegna was the vice president of fabrics. In the mid-1990s Zegna served as the companies vice president of the company's formal wear division. In the 1998 Zegna began serving as Vice-Chairman of his family company, as well as company president. During the 2000s he was promoted to CEO of the company.

Zegna has described his role as CEO by stating, “my responsibility is to try to co-ordinate the team,” adding that at Ermenegildo Zegna his attitude intends to show appreciation for its employees and the business, according to professors Mireia Las Heras and Nuria Chinchilla. As CEO he led an expansion of Ermenegildo Zegna retail stores in the US, China, Russia and other new markets. He also expanded the company’s lines from tailored clothing to sportswear. In addition to his role with Zegna, he is a member of the board of directors for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, and the IESE Business School.

Awards and honors

Zegna has been awarded the Cavaliere del Lavoro Italiano order of merit by the President of Italy.