Safilo: changes at the top

The Shareholders’ Meeting of Safilo Group S.p.A., which met today, approved the proposals of the Board of Directors held on August 2, 2011, increasing the number of the members of the Board from seven to eight and nominating Mr. Robert Polet as the new non executive Chairman of the Group.

Mr. Melchert Frans Groot, who handed over his position, remains as a non executive member of the Board of Directors.
Born in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) in 1955, Mr. Polet has been, from 2004 to 2011, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Management Board of the Gucci Group contributing to the successful consolidation and growth of the Group and its brands. He previously spent 26 years in the Unilever Group where he was President of Unilever’s Worldwide Ice Cream and Frozen Foods division, a $ 7.8 billion business consisting of over 40 operating companies.

Prior to that position, Mr. Polet worked in a variety of executive roles within Unilever, including Chairman of Unilever Malaysia, Chairman of Van den Bergh’s and Executive Vice President of Unilever’s European Home and Personal Care division. Mr. Polet is also a non executive Director of Reed Elsevie PLC/NV, Wilderness Holdings Ltd and Philip Morris International Inc.