Kering board to nominate appointment of three new independent directors

Kering’s board of directors will propose the appointment of three new independent directors, Rachel Duan, Giovanna Melandri and Dominique D’Hinnin, at the annual general meeting on April 25, 2024.

Rachel Duan, a Chinese national, the company said in a release, held several senior leadership roles in the United States, Japan and China during her 25-year career at General Electric (GE). Most recently, she served as senior vice president of GE and president and CEO of GE Global Markets.

The company added that Giovanna Melandri, a dual Italian and US national, is an economist, specialising in sustainability and cultural issues. She is president of Human Foundation, an organisation that promotes impact economy and sustainable finance, as well as founder and global ambassador of the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment organisation.

She was a member of the Italian Parliament for close to 20 years, being particularly invested, notably, in foreign affairs, culture and women empowerment issues, and serving in government as Minister of Culture and as Minister for Youth Policy and Sports Activities. She chaired for 10 years the National Museum for contemporary arts (MAXXI) in Rome. In 1992, she was part of the Italian delegation to the Rio de Janeiro Conference on Environment and Development, during which she contributed to the preparatory work for the Climate Convention.

Dominique D’Hinnin, a French national, Kering further said, is chairman of the board of directors of Eutelsat Communications. He was chief financial officer of the Lagardère group for 18 years and also Lagardère SCA co-managing partner.

These proposed appointments follow on the departures of Jean-François Palus, now chairman and CEO of Gucci, Tidjane Thiam, who resigned in order to have the necessary time to devote to his political commitments, and of Emma Watson, whose term expires at the end of the next annual general meeting.