The newly appointed Kering CEO Luca de Meo made his first external personnel decision. As the Reuters news agency reports, Thomas Cuntz, formerly Vice President Talentmanagement at Renault, was appointed Talent Development & People Engagement Director.
The appointment, which was announced on September 9, 2025, coincides with the head of the luxury group when de Meo took office. According to the WWD, which refers to Reuters, it marks the start of comprehensive strategic renewal.
At the LinkedIn career network, Cuntz explained that in the future he will be responsible for the implementation of HR practices, which are closely linked to the strategic goals of the group. This includes talent acquisition and development, internal mobility, performance management, further training, inclusion and diversity, employee engagement as well as social relationships. In his new function, he works closely with Béatrice Lazat, who has been Chief People Officer on Kering since 2016.
Why this personnel decision?
It is no coincidence that Cuntz was selected as the first external personnel decision. By priorizing the area of talent development and employee engagement, he emphasizes the role of human capital as a central lever of the transformation. Analyst: Inside, the appointment as a signal for the will to professionalize the HR practices more and to align them with the group’s performance and transformation goals.
The emphasis on this function also shows that De Meo wants to ensure that the right skills in the group are available from the start – to efficiently implement the planned reorganization and optimization of the brands. With this decision, he also confirms his claim to reorganize Kering. He had announced “clear and strong decisions” to Reuters to restore stability and profitability. This includes in particular cost reductions, a more efficient brand structure and an optimized capital allocation.
Analyst: Welcome the step inside. In strengthening the HR teams, you see a key factor for successful transformation. According to Reuters, the Business Bank HSBC emphasizes that the management culture at Kering will in future be more evaluated according to competence and performance – and not for loyalty or relationships.
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