– Marie-Hélène Chenut, a French national, held operational and strategic responsibilities at Chanel for over 35 years, with an international scope in marketing, business development, and talent development, before leading the Haute Couture division and the Haute Couture and Ready-to-Wear ateliers for nine years. Her industry expertise, understanding of business, operational and brand-related issues, and ability to grasp the expectations of a demanding international clientele will be valuable assets to the Board of Directors of Kering.
Kering will propose Marie-Hélène Chenut and Laurent Kleitman as independent directors at its May 28, 2026 AGM.
Jean-Pierre Denis will step down after 18 years.
Chairman François-Henri Pinault praised his contribution.
If approved, the board will have 13 members, 64% independent, 45% women, and 5 nationalities, strengthening global expertise.
– Laurent Kleitman, a French national, is the Group Chief Executive and Director of Mandarin Oriental, a leading player in the luxury hotel industry. He brings more than 30 years of international leadership experience in the luxury, beauty, and consumer goods sectors. Prior to joining Mandarin Oriental, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Parfums Christian Dior and Chief Executive Officer of LVMH’s Beauty Division in Russia and CEI. Prior to that, he was President of Coty’s Consumer Beauty division. Laurent Kleitman has also held senior leadership and general management positions in Europe and Asia with the Unilever Group. The Board of Directors of Kering will benefit from his expertise in managing global luxury brands, his extensive international experience and knowledge of various markets, as well as his strong financial and strategic background.
In addition, Jean-Pierre Denis submitted his resignation from his position as Director, effective at the end of the Annual General Meeting on May 28, 2026.
Chairman of the Audit Committee from 2012 to 2020, then Vice-Chairman of this Committee and a member of the Remuneration and Sustainability Committees, Jean-Pierre Denis has been a Director of Kering since June 9, 2008. He has also served as Climate Change Lead since 2022.
François-Henri Pinault, Chairman of the Board of Directors, stated: “On my own behalf and on behalf of all the Directors, I would like to warmly thank Jean-Pierre Denis for his involvement throughout his many years on the Board and for his major contribution to its work. For nearly eighteen years, he has supported us with unwavering rigor and high standards, particularly in his role as Chairman of the Audit Committee. He was also a pioneer through his commitment to sustainability, helping at a very early stage to place these issues at the heart of our thinking. His dedication to Kering has been a valuable support for my family and myself, for which we are deeply grateful.”
Therefore, if the Annual General Meeting of May 28, 2026 approves the resolutions concerning the composition of the Board of Directors, taking into account the expiry of terms of office of Maureen Chiquet and Yonca Dervisoglu at the end of the Annual General Meeting on May 28, 2026, the Board of Directors of Kering would comprise 13 members with 64% of independent directors, 45% of women and 5 different nationalities.
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Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)


