JAPAN. Shinichi Tanaka has been appointed president by the board of Gucci Japan, a unit of luxury goods supplier Gucci Group.
Tanaka succeeded Tokiashi Tashiro, who stepped down from his post “due to personal reasons”, according to Italian News Digest.
Tanaka, a business management graduate of Keio University, Tokyo, Japan, has held various posts including Executive Vice President and CEO at Gucci Japan since 1997.
Previously, he worked at Isetan, one of Japan’s leading departmental stores, as Executive Vice President and CEO Isetan of America, as MD Isetan International Finance B.V and as Director of Isetan’s Barney Japan.
Tashiro is the latest high-ranking executive to leave Gucci since the much-publicised departures of President and CEO Domenico De Sole and Creative Director Tom Ford in April. Francois-Henri Pinault, the head of Pinault Printemps-Redoute which controls Gucci, had decided not to renew the contracts of De Sole and Ford after a series of negotiations.
De Sole was replaced by Robert Polet, formerly of Unilever.
Ford was replaced by Alessandra Facchinetti (Creative Director of Womenswear), John Ray (Creative Director of Menswear) and Frida Giannini (Creative Director of Accessories). They report to Giacomo Santucci, Gucci’s President and Chief Executive Officer, who told the media last November that he will stay despite the departures of De Sole and Ford.
Gucci Japan’s units are Gucci Group Japan Holding, Luxury Timepieces Japan, Bottega Veneta Japan and Sergio Rossi Japan. Gucci Group ranked fourth in the Best and Most 2003’s Top 50 Distribution Ranking in Luxury Goods.
The New York Times reported that Pinault Printemps bought a 68% stake in Gucci in 1999 and has plans to acquire the rest of the group this year.
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