Kering advocates predominantly feminine governance

By

Dominique Muret

Published
Apr 11, 2016

Women are taking charge at the Kering group. At the next Annual General Meeting, the French luxury goods group will propose the appointment of three women as directors. This ought to raise the women's board membership share to 64%.

They are economist Laurence Boone, already a Kering board member between 2010 and 2014, engineer Sapna Sood, and Sophie L'Hélias, an executive specialised in law.

They will be in fact taking over from three men, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, Philippe Lagayette, and Jochen Zeitz, whose mandates have reached their term and will not be renewed. The luxury group's board of directors will then consist of eleven members, seven women and four men.

The appointments are "a reflection of the long-standing relevance given to the role of women within the group, at all levels," the luxury giant stated in a press release. Kering also mentioned its engagement in favour of the fight against violence to women, and of equal rights, through the Kering Foundation.

The group features 58% of women among its employees, and 51% among its executives. Also, 4 of its executive committee members are women, while 4 brands in the Kering universe are managed by women.