Safilo Group boss leaves company

Safilo Group chief executive Roberto Vedovotto has resigned in order to pursue new professional opportunities.

Group chairman Vittorio Tabacchi has proposed that Claudio Gottardi, current president of Safilo USA, and Massimiliano Tabacchi, currently chief operating officer of the group, share the chief executive role when Vedovotto leaves at the end of July.

Tabacchi accepted the resignation and thanked Vedovotto for the work and commitment of recent years.

Vedovotto, who entered Safilo in 2002, has managed, among other transactions, the group's turnaround, its listing on the Milan Stock Exchange last December and the re-financing of the company's senior loan in June 2006 which has led to a significant improvement of the guarantee package and margins, through the signing of a new contract for €400m.