Luca de Meo

Luca de Meo
Luca de Meo in 2021
Luca de Meo
Born	13 6, 1967
Birthplace	Milan, Lombardy, Italy
Nationality	Italian
Occupation	Chief executive
Employer	Kering (2025–present)
Known for	CEO of Renault Group (2020–2025), revival of the Fiat 500, creation of Cupra brand
Education	Bocconi University
Awards	Commendatore al Merito della Repubblica Italiana; Cavaliere del Lavoro (2022)

Luca de Meo (born 13 June 1967) is an Italian business executive who has held chief executive positions at several major European corporations across the automotive and luxury goods industries. He served as CEO of Renault Group from 2020 to 2025, during which time he led the company's strategic pivot toward electric vehicles and restructured its global operations. Prior to Renault, he was CEO of SEAT from 2015 to 2020, where he created the performance brand Cupra, and earlier served as CEO of Fiat Automobiles from 2004 to 2009, overseeing the revival of the iconic Fiat 500. In June 2025, he was appointed CEO of the French luxury group Kering, owner of brands including Gucci and Saint Laurent. Born in Milan, de Meo built a career spanning more than three decades in the European automotive sector before making a high-profile transition to luxury fashion and retail. His career trajectory has been characterized by brand revitalization efforts and a marketing-driven approach to corporate leadership, earning recognition from the Italian government as a Cavaliere del Lavoro in 2022.

Early Life

Luca de Meo was born on 13 June 1967 in Milan, in the Lombardy region of Italy. He grew up in the capital of Italian industry and finance, a city with deep ties to both the automotive and fashion sectors that would define his professional life. Details of his family background and upbringing remain largely private, though his later career choices reflected an early affinity for branding, marketing, and the business of consumer products.

De Meo has spoken in various interviews about his formative experiences in Milan and how the city's commercial culture influenced his approach to business. The Italian capital of design and fashion provided an environment in which attention to aesthetics, brand identity, and consumer experience were valued — themes that would become hallmarks of his leadership style across multiple industries.

Education

De Meo studied at Bocconi University in Milan, one of Italy's most prestigious business schools and a leading European institution for economics and management studies. His time at Bocconi provided him with a foundation in business administration and marketing that would underpin his subsequent career in the automotive industry. The university has maintained ties with de Meo throughout his career, and he has been recognized by the Bocconi Alumni Association for his professional achievements, including at the time of his appointment as CEO of Renault. His career has also been the subject of a case study at Harvard Business School, reflecting the academic interest in his leadership trajectory across multiple major corporations.

Career

Early Career and Fiat Automobiles (2004–2009)

After completing his education, de Meo entered the automotive industry and rose through marketing and brand management roles. He was appointed CEO of Fiat Automobiles in 2004, a position he held until 2009. During this period, he oversaw one of the most celebrated product launches in modern automotive history: the revival of the Fiat 500. The relaunch of the 500, which drew on the heritage of the original 1957 model while presenting it as a contemporary urban vehicle, was widely covered in the automotive press and became a commercial success for the Italian manufacturer. The project demonstrated de Meo's approach to leveraging brand heritage and emotional resonance in product development — a strategy he would repeat in subsequent roles.

De Meo's tenure at Fiat coincided with a period of significant transformation at the company under the leadership of Sergio Marchionne, who served as CEO of the Fiat Group. Bloomberg News described de Meo as "Marchionne's one-time protégé," indicating the close professional relationship between the two executives during this formative period of de Meo's career. The experience at Fiat established de Meo's reputation as a marketing-oriented executive capable of repositioning automotive brands in competitive European markets.

Volkswagen Group and Audi

Following his departure from Fiat, de Meo moved to the Volkswagen Group, one of the world's largest automotive conglomerates. He held senior positions within the group, including roles at Audi, the German premium automobile manufacturer. During his time at Audi, de Meo continued to develop his expertise in brand management and marketing within the premium automotive segment. His contributions were recognized by the Italian government, which awarded him the honorary title of Commendatore al Merito della Repubblica Italiana while he was serving at Audi.

His experience within the Volkswagen Group exposed de Meo to the operational scale and engineering culture of German automotive manufacturing, complementing his earlier experience in the Italian automotive sector. This cross-cultural executive experience — spanning Italian, German, and later French and Spanish corporate environments — became a distinguishing feature of his professional profile.

SEAT and the Creation of Cupra (2015–2020)

In 2015, de Meo was appointed CEO of SEAT, the Spanish automobile manufacturer and a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. The appointment came at a time when SEAT was seeking to strengthen its market position and brand identity within the broader Volkswagen Group portfolio. De Meo's tenure at SEAT was marked by a focus on brand revitalization and the pursuit of a more distinctive market positioning for the Spanish carmaker.

The most significant strategic initiative of de Meo's time at SEAT was the creation of Cupra as a standalone brand in 2018. Originally a performance sub-brand within SEAT's lineup, Cupra was elevated to an independent marque under de Meo's leadership. The brand was positioned to compete in the growing market segment between mainstream and premium vehicles, offering sportier designs and higher-specification models. The establishment of Cupra represented an effort to move upmarket and capture higher margins, addressing one of the structural challenges facing volume automotive manufacturers in Europe.

De Meo's leadership at SEAT also involved navigating the complex industrial and political landscape of the Spanish automotive sector. The company's headquarters and main manufacturing facility in Martorell, near Barcelona, placed it at the intersection of Catalan and Spanish economic interests. He engaged with local business organizations and authorities during his tenure.

By late 2019, de Meo had emerged as a leading candidate for the CEO position at Renault, which was undergoing a leadership transition following the departure of Carlos Ghosn. His track record of brand turnarounds at Fiat and SEAT made him an attractive candidate for a company seeking to stabilize and redefine its strategic direction.

Renault Group (2020–2025)

On 28 January 2020, Renault announced the appointment of Luca de Meo as the group's new CEO, succeeding interim leadership that had been in place following the departure of Thierry Bolloré. The appointment was reported by The New York Times, the Financial Times, and other major international publications, reflecting the significance of the role at one of Europe's largest automakers and a key partner in the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance.

De Meo took the helm of Renault at a particularly challenging juncture. The company was dealing with the aftermath of the Ghosn affair, strained relations within the alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted global automotive supply chains and consumer demand. The Financial Times and other outlets reported on the scale of the turnaround challenge facing the new CEO.

Italian media provided extensive coverage of de Meo's appointment, noting that an Italian executive was taking charge of one of France's most iconic industrial companies. Corriere della Sera profiled de Meo as "l'italiano che si prepara a guidare Renault" (the Italian who is preparing to lead Renault), highlighting his background and the expectations placed upon him.

During his tenure at Renault, de Meo led the company's strategic pivot toward electric vehicles, positioning the group as a major player in the European EV market. He oversaw a restructuring of the company's operations and brand portfolio, seeking to improve profitability and competitiveness in an industry undergoing rapid transformation driven by electrification and digitalization. French media outlet Capital profiled de Meo both at the time of his appointment and during his tenure, examining his leadership style and strategic decisions.

In 2023, de Meo was named president of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), the main industry body representing European car manufacturers. This appointment reflected his standing within the European automotive industry and gave him a platform to advocate on issues including emissions regulation, industrial policy, and the transition to electrification.

De Meo served as CEO of Renault Group until 2025, when he departed to take up the leadership of Kering.

Kering (2025–present)

On 16 June 2025, the Kering Board of Directors, chaired by François-Henri Pinault, announced the appointment of Luca de Meo as Chief Executive Officer of the French luxury group. The appointment represented a significant departure from the conventional career path of luxury industry executives, as de Meo's entire prior experience had been in the automotive sector. Reuters reported on the appointment, noting his background and the strategic challenges facing Kering at the time of his arrival.

De Meo's appointment came as Kering was navigating a difficult period, with its flagship brand Gucci facing declining sales and the broader luxury market experiencing a slowdown, particularly in the Chinese market. Vogue reported on de Meo's early strategic communications, noting that he spoke about the potential of China, the jewelry segment, and the importance of longevity in brand management at the company's annual earnings press conference.

In his first months at Kering, de Meo undertook a series of operational and creative changes across the group's portfolio of brands. Puck reported that after approximately a quarter in the role, his vision for a Kering turnaround was "beginning to sharpen," with a focus on insulating the company against the fashion cycle. Women's Wear Daily (WWD) reported on de Meo's technology-focused ambitions for the luxury group, noting plans to use technology to improve design, supply chain management, and customer experience across Kering's brands.

FashionNetwork reported that in his early months at the helm, de Meo was "shaking up the status quo," visiting boutiques and production sites as part of his effort to understand and reshape the company's operations. His approach involved direct engagement with labor relations as well; Yahoo Finance reported that de Meo was expected to meet with Italian unions to discuss the future of the Alexander McQueen brand amid restructuring discussions.

Retail Brew reported in February 2026 that under de Meo's leadership, with a series of operative and creative changes taking effect, some analysts had renewed hope for the struggling fashion group's recovery, while noting that the road to recovery would require patience.

Personal Life

Luca de Meo maintains a relatively private personal life. He was born and raised in Milan, Italy, and has lived and worked in multiple European countries throughout his career, including Italy, Germany, Spain, and France. His multinational career has required fluency in multiple languages, and he is known to speak Italian, English, French, German, and Spanish — a linguistic versatility that has been noted in profiles of his career.

De Meo received the Spanish honor documented in Spain's official gazette, the Boletín Oficial del Estado, reflecting his contributions during his time leading SEAT in the country.

Recognition

Throughout his career, de Meo has received several honors and awards from multiple countries, reflecting the international scope of his executive career.

While serving at Audi within the Volkswagen Group, he was awarded the title of Commendatore al Merito della Repubblica Italiana by the Italian government, one of the country's official honors recognizing contributions to the nation.

In 2022, Italian President Sergio Mattarella named de Meo among the 25 new Cavalieri del Lavoro (Knights of Labor), one of Italy's highest honors for those who have made exceptional contributions to economic development. The honor was reported by Milano Finanza and recognized de Meo's achievements across his career in the automotive industry.

De Meo has also received recognition from Spain, as documented in the Boletín Oficial del Estado, for his contributions during his tenure as CEO of SEAT.

His career has been the subject of academic study, including a case study published by Harvard Business School, which examined his leadership and strategic decisions across multiple automotive companies.

De Meo's appointment to the presidency of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) in 2023 represented a form of industry-level recognition, as the role is typically held by senior figures in the European automotive sector.

Legacy

Luca de Meo's career is notable for the breadth of its scope across the European automotive industry and, more recently, the luxury goods sector. His leadership at three major automobile manufacturers — Fiat, SEAT, and Renault — each involved elements of brand revitalization and strategic repositioning.

The revival of the Fiat 500 under his leadership at Fiat Automobiles became one of the most recognized product launches of the 2000s in the automotive industry, demonstrating the commercial viability of heritage-based brand strategies. The model went on to become one of Fiat's best-selling vehicles globally and spawned multiple variants, including an electric version.

The creation of Cupra as a standalone brand during his tenure at SEAT represented an effort to demonstrate that volume manufacturers could successfully develop premium sub-brands. Cupra has continued to operate as an independent marque within the Volkswagen Group after de Meo's departure.

At Renault, de Meo's strategic focus on electric vehicles positioned the company for the industry-wide transition away from internal combustion engines. His presidency of ACEA also gave him influence over the broader European automotive industry's engagement with regulators and policymakers on electrification and environmental standards.

His 2025 transition from the automotive industry to luxury goods at Kering represented an unusual cross-industry move at the CEO level. The appointment was interpreted by industry observers as reflecting a belief that his skills in brand management, marketing, and corporate turnarounds could be applied beyond the automotive sector. As of early 2026, the results of his leadership at Kering remained in their early stages, with analysts watching for signs of a turnaround at the luxury group's portfolio of brands.