Louis Vuitton picks Constans as new chief

Yves Carcelle, chief executive of Louis Vuitton, will stand aside at the end of the next year to be replaced by Jordi Constans, a senior executive of Danone, the French yoghurt group.

The move, announced by Louis Vuitton’s parent company LVMH on Wednesday, reflects a trend among luxury goods groups to hire senior executives from the consumer goods industry as their rapid expansion into emerging markets mirrors that of Danone, Unilever or Procter & Gamble two decades ago.

It also brings to a close one of the longest and most successful careers in fashion. Mr Carcelle, who has led LVMH since 1990, is credited with having made Louis Vuitton one of the most profitable and ubiquitous luxury goods brand.

Mr Constans, 47, who is Spanish, most recently was the executive vice-president of fresh dairy products at Danone. He will shadow Mr Carcelle throughout 2012 before taking over the job of chief executive, LVMH said.

Mr Carcelle will remain a member of the LVMH executive committee and “will undertake strategic roles” alongside Bernard Arnault, LVMH’s chairman and founder, LVMH said. Mr Carcelle will also become president of the Fondation Louis Vuitton, a museum being built near the Bois du Boulogne in Paris by the architect Frank Gehry.

Mr Carcelle is considered to have worked hard to make a success of Louis Vuitton’s deal with its star designer Marc Jacobs, a business relationship which is credited with making Louis Vuitton the largest brand in the luxury goods industry by revenues.

Industry analysts said Mr Carcelle’s move will fuel rumours rife during the current catwalk season that Mr Jacobs may shortly move on to Dior. The couture house, also owned by Mr Arnault, is currently without a head designer after John Galliano was sacked earlier this year following an anti-semitic rant in a Paris café.

Mr Arnault said: “I am delighted that Jordi Constans is joining the group. Initially, he will have the privilege of working with Yves Carcelle, who has led Louis Vuitton with remarkable success since 1990.”

The arrival of Mr Constans is the second shake-up in LVMH’s management team this year. Francesco Trapani, formerly Bulgari chief executive, became head of LVMH’s enlarged watches and jewellery division this month after LVMH bought the Roman jeweller.

The Bulgari deal was negotiated by Toni Belloni, managing director of LVMH, who joined the group from Procter & Gamble.