Ermenegildo Zegna

Background

Ermenegildo “Gildo” Zegna was born on in Turin and grew up in Biella. He is the son of Angelo Zegna, one of Zegna’s two sons.

Education

He later graduated in 1978 from London University and studied at Harvard Business School in 1981.

Career

Zegna began his career as a buyer at Bloomingdales in New York City during the 1970s. While there he worked under Marvin Traub, who taught Zegna about fashion merchandizing. In the early 1990s Zegna was the vice president of fabrics.

In the mid-1990s Zegna served as the companies vice president of the company"s formal wear division.

In the 1998 Zegna began serving as Vice-Chairman of his family company, as well as company president During the 2000s he was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of the company.

Zegna has described his role as Chief Executive Officer by stating, “my responsibility is to try to co-ordinate the team,” adding that at Ermenegildo Zegna his attitude intends to show appreciation for its employees and the business, according to professors Mireia Las Heras and Nuria Chinchilla. As Chief Executive Officer he led an expansion of Ermenegildo Zegna retail stores in the United States, China, Russia and other new markets.

He also expanded the company’s lines from tailored clothing to sportswear.

Achievements

• Zegna has been awarded the Cavaliere del Lavoro Italiano order of merit by the President of Italy.

Membership

In addition to his role with Zegna, he is a member of the board of directors for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, and the International Graduate School of Management Business School.