Just five months after being named Diesel’s CEO for North America, Eraldo Poletto is going global. The OTB Group-owned brand announced Tuesday that it will elevate Poletto to Diesel global CEO beginning July 1.
The former CEO and brand president of Stuart Weitzman and CEO of Salvatore Ferragamo and Furla has 30 years of experience in the luxury and retail industry. In statement, OTB Group said Poletto has “already been instrumental in developing Diesel’s new market strategy.”
Poletto will replace Massimo Piombini, who has served as Diesel CEO since December 2019.
OTB lauded Piombini for “fulfilling the task entrusted to him by founder and chairman Renzo Rosso and the Group’s Board of Directors to design the strategy and repositioning plan for Diesel.”
Since Piombini’s arrival, Diesel gained Glenn Martens as creative director, introduced a buyback program in Europe, refreshed stores’ designs and stepped into the metaverse. With influential celebrities like Kyle Jenner and Julia Fox wearing the label’s runway collection earlier this year, Diesel landed on the Lyst Index of the hottest brands for the first time in Q1. Its “pantaboots,” which feature faded jeans that flow into heeled boots, earned the 10th place in the Lyst Index’s ranking of hottest women’s products.
Donald Kohler, a seasoned executive who has held positions such as president of Burberry Americas, CEO Americas and chief retail officer at Ferragamo and president of Ann Taylor Group, has been appointed to succeed Poletto as Diesel CEO for North America.