"

McArthurGlen, which owns and operates designer outlet villages, has appointed ex-Gianni Versace manager Giovanni Galbiati to the newly created dual role of managing director of Italy and regional director of Southern Europe.

Galbiati, who took on the post yesterday (1 February), spent 15 years with Versace from 1989 until 2004.

Based at McArthurGlen’s new regional office in Rome, Galbiati will lead the company’s business in Southern Europe, with a particular focus on expanding the region’s chain of outlets. The business plans three new outlets in Venice, Naples, and Athens.

Galbiati said: "Over the past decade McArthurGlen has pioneered a highly effective outlet shopping concept to become the industry leader.

"Staying on top is even harder. I’m committed to consolidating the already strong performance and exploiting what I believe to be untapped potential between McArthurGlen and the off-price luxury segment in this industry."

McArthurGlen CEO Julia Calabrese added: "The southern region, and particularly Italy, offers tremendous opportunity to grow our business.

"I fully expect that Giovanni’s focus on luxury brands, his broad business skills and managerial acumen, and his profile in the industry will support our existing operations there and lend much to our exciting new projects underway in the region."

In a related move, Stefano Stroppiana, previously managing director for McArthurGlen Italy and European leasing director, has been promoted to partner in charge of group business development and company-wide leasing director.

Also based in Rome, this newly created role will involve forging opportunities in new markets as well as leading brand partner strategy across the group’s 16 existing designer outlets in the UK, Italy, France, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.

"

Source : just-style.com, 2 February 2007