Prada Names New Chief People Officer Rosa Santamaria, Completing Executive Recast

Valentino’s chief human resources officer Rosa Santamaria Maurizio is set to decamp to Prada, the company told BoF Wednesday.

As chief people officer, Santamaria Maurizio will “actively participate in the cultural and organisational change of Prada Group,” the Milan-based fashion company said.

The executive joins a Prada C-suite that has been almost completely overhauled: Last year, the company named a new group chief executive officer (former Luxottica chief Andrea Guerra) and a brand-level CEO for its flagship label (Gianfranco D’Attis, hired from Dior), as the company’s founding family seeks to ease the transition to its next generation. It also brought in a new chief financial officer (former Goldman Sachs’ executive Andrea Bonini).

Designer-owner Miuccia Prada continues to lead Prada’s creative output alongside co-creative director Raf Simons, while her husband and business partner Patrizio Bertelli is now executive chairman. Both relinquished their roles as co-CEOs. Their son Lorenzo Bertelli, who steers various initiatives including marketing, communications and sustainability, is an executive director being positioned as the group’s future leader.

Design director Fabio Zambernardi is also planning to exit the group at year-end, BoF reported Sept. 2.

At Valentino, Santamaria Maurizio worked to revamp the company’s people organisation and internal culture alongside CEO Jacopo Venturini, who sought to identify and reinforce “couture” values and integrate them throughout the company. Santamaria Maurizio also put in place more structured processes for talent acquisition, management, and compensation.

Before joining Valentino, Santamaria Maurizio spent 14 years at American Express in various human resources roles.

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Prada’s Design Director to Step Back from Company

Fabio Zambernardi, Miuccia Prada’s right-hand at Prada and Miu Miu since the 1990s, is preparing to exit the Milanese fashion group at year end, sources said.