Kering Shake-Up Reaches Jeweller DoDo as CEO Exits

Teejana Beenessreesingh has exited her role as chief executive of Kering’s accessible jewellery label DoDo after less than a year in the job, Kering confirmed to The Business of Fashion.

Her departure, which hasn’t been previously reported, comes as Kering’s new chief executive, Luca de Meo, prepares to lay out his strategic vision for the group at a capital markets day in Florence in two weeks, gathering investors, analysts and journalists.

Beenessreesingh, who joined DoDo in June of last year after nearly five years at Kering stablemate Bottega Veneta, where she served as chief of staff to the CEO, will not be replaced. The role will be folded into the remit of Pomellato CEO Sabina Belli, Kering said.

Beenessreesingh’s exit comes just weeks after de Meo formed a new unit for jewellery houses Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo and Qeelin brands, along with recently acquired supplier Raselli Franco Group, in a bid to accelerate the group’s momentum in one of luxury’s most resilient categories amid a prolonged sector-wide downturn.

Group chief operating officer Jean-Marc Duplaix is heading the unit, Kering Jewelry, with brand CEOs reporting directly to him. The structural shift is aimed at pooling resources while tightening strategic alignment and operational oversight as de Meo looks to boost growth in the category, including at its fashion brands, which he described as “very big hanging fruit.”

The executive plans to draw on the new unit to expand the jewellery offering at Gucci and Saint Laurent, in particular, in a bid to shield the group from the volatility of fashion.

“Teejana left the group following a streamlining of the organisation, without a dedicated CEO role at DoDo,” Kering said in the statement. “This organisational change is part of Kering Jewelry’s strategy, which aims to accelerate the growth of our jewelry houses while improving efficiency. …This decision is in no way related to Dodo’s performance.”

Beenessreesingh was recruited by Francesca Bellettini, then Kering’s deputy CEO, to boost the appeal and international expansion of the Italian jewellery brand. Bellettini moved on to run Gucci in September, however, and differences over strategic priorities emerged with Belli, her direct superior, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Beenessreesingh did not return calls seeking comment. Belli couldn’t be reached for comment.

Since joining Kering in September from French carmaker Renault, de Meo has begun revealing the contours of his strategy. Reviving growth at Gucci, which accounts for more than half of Kering’s profit, remains de Meo’s top priority. But the executive is reviewing all parts of the group, from manufacturing to client relations, bringing in executives from outside the sector and reorganising management structures. Incremental changes at the smaller houses offer insight into how deeply the new leader intends to reshape Kering. The group’s exposure to hard luxury remains modest relative to peers that have invested heavily in the category.

Founded in Italy in the 1990s, DoDo is positioned as a playful, entry-level jewellery brand built around charm bracelets and symbolic pendants, operating at significantly lower price points than Pomellato or Boucheron. It was acquired as part of Pomellato by Kering in 2013 and operated with its Italian stablemate until the two were separated in 2023.

Kering does not disclose revenue or profitability for DoDo. While DoDo is smaller than Pomellato or Boucheron, executives see it as a strategically important gateway brand for younger consumers entering the group’s ecosystem. Its signature gold dodo bird pendants are priced under €200 ($232) while Pomellato’s colourful Nudo rings start at €2,200 for a small, classic version in gold with a quartz rose or topaz stone.

Last year, sales at the “Other Houses” division, which includes Pomellato, Boucheron, Qeelin and several smaller fashion brands, fell 6 percent to €2.9 billion. Within the division, Kering said jewellery brands recorded “dynamic expansion,” with DoDo “accelerating.”

Management changes have begun trickling in since de Meo’s arrival. In a move announced in January, Bottega Veneta CEO Bartolomeo Rongone, Beenessreesingh’s former boss, this week became CEO of Moncler after overseeing six years of strong growth at Bottega Veneta.

As analysts gather in Florence on April 16, attention will remain fixed on Gucci’s reset and Kering’s medium-term financial targets. But the moves unfolding beneath the surface point to a broader overhaul — with jewellery set to play an increasingly important role in the group’s next act.