MILAN — Designer outlet mall developer McArthurGlen is bolstering its management team in southern Europe in a bid to grow its Mediterranean presence.
The U.K.-based operator has tapped Giovanni Galbiati, a former Brioni and Gianni Versace executive, as managing director for Italy and regional director for southern Europe, a newly created dual role at the company. He will start his new position today.
The company promoted Stefano Stroppiana, who until now was managing director for Italy and European leasing director. He will now be a partner at McArthurGlen, overseeing group business development and leasing. He will play a key role in projects involving new markets, the company 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,” Galbiati told WWD. “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.”
This is the first of what will be a series of regional appointments at McArthurGlen. The company operates 16 outlet malls throughout Europe. It entered the Italian market in 2000, opening the Serravalle Outlet south of Milan, and has since added two more developments near Rome and Florence.
The company is developing another four retail complexes in southern Europe. A Venice location is due to open next year, and malls in Sicily and Yalou, Greece, near Athens, are slated to open in 2009. A site close to Naples will house another mall, although a timetable has not been determined, a spokeswoman said. Elsewhere in Europe, McArthurGlen is planning centers in Salzburg, Austria, and in Berlin and Hamburg, Germany.
Both Galbiati and Stroppiana will be based in Rome, where McArthurGlen recently relocated its regional office from Milan. They both report to McArthurGlen chief executive officer Julia Calabrese.
Calabrese said there was “tremendous opportunity” to grow McArthurGlen’s 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 under way in the region,” Calabrese said in a statement.
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Galbiati spent 15 years at Versace, working his way up until he became group general manager in 1998, a position he held for six years. He went on to work at high-end home furnishings company Molteni & Co. for two years. Most recently, he was Brioni’s director of worldwide sales and marketing, a position he held for just 10 months before joining McArthurGlen.
The outlets sell discounted apparel and accessories from brands like Giorgio Armani, Prada, Diesel, Burberry and Polo Ralph Lauren.