8:13 am, June 16, 2025
Renault Group boss Luca de Meo is to step down from his position amid speculation he is set to take control of fashion giant Gucci.
The French carmaker confirmed over the weekend that de Meo will depart his role as CEO on July 15 in order to ‘pursue new challenges outside the automotive sector’.
The 58-year-old departs after five years in the role and multiple reports say he is now expected to become CEO of luxury group Kering, which owns Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga.
While his next destination is yet to be made official, sources close to negotiations are expecting the deal to be finalised without any last minute hitches.
It means that Renault’s board has now began the process of searching for a new CEO to replace the outgoing Italian.
Jean-Dominique Senard, chairman of the board of directors of Renault, said: ‘For five years, Luca de Meo has worked to restore Renault Group to its rightful place.
‘Under his leadership, our company has returned to a healthy foundation, boasts an impressive range of products and has resumed growth.
‘Besides being an exceptional captain of industry, Luca de Meo is also a creative, committed, passionate and inspiring individual. Today, the entire company joins me in thanking him for all these years and all the collective challenges successfully met.
‘On a personal level, I will always remember the quality of our relations during this unforgettable journey.
‘This also gives me the opportunity to warmly thank the Group’s employees who have worked alongside us for the recovery of this emblematic company that we are all so proud of.’
The latest news closes the curtain on more than three decades in the automotive industry for de Meo, who has also worked for the likes of Fiat and Volkswagen Group.
Reflecting on his time at the helm of Renault, the outgoing boss said the experience had been an ‘adventure that only happens once in a lifetime’.
‘There comes a time in one’s life when one knows the job is done,’ he said. ‘At Renault Group, we have faced immense challenges in less than five years! We have achieved what many thought impossible.
‘Today, the results speak for themselves: they are the best in our history. We have a strong team and an agile organisation.
‘We also have a strategic plan ready for the next generation of products. That is why I have decided it is time for me to hand over the baton.
‘I am leaving a transformed company, poised for the future, to apply my experience to other sectors and embark on new adventures.’ shared Luca de Meo.’
He added: ‘Leading Renault Group has been a privilege. It has been a human and industrial adventure that only happens once in a lifetime.
‘For this, I will always be grateful to the women and men of this company – the “Renaulutionnaires” – for their passion, their commitment and
their conviction.
‘They are the true driving engines. Moreover, I would like to thank Jean-Dominique Senard for choosing me several years ago, for his support and trust, as well as the board of directors, for believing in our projects.
‘And the best is yet to come.’
