Current Jil Sander CEO to join K-Way

Luca Lo Curzio, the current chief executive officer of Jil Sander, has been appointed to the helm of K-Way, a position he will take up following the closing of Permira Funds’ strategic investment in the sportswear brand, expected to be complete in Q1 2025.

Lo Curzio was described by the French brand’s joint owners, BasicNet SpA and Permira, as the “ideal candidate to steer K-Way through its next phase of growth”, with plans revolving around the further enhancement of its “leadership position in the outerwear market”.

Among his tasks as CEO are that of reinforcing the market position in Italy and France, expanding the company’s international presence and strengthening its digital and e-commerce capabilities.

While Lo Curzio is currently serving at the helm of Jil Sander, where he was already speculated to be exiting earlier this month, he has also previously held leadership positions at the likes of Zegna, Luxottica, Bain & Company, Danone and L’Oréal.

In a release, Lo Curzio said he was “thrilled” to lead K-Way, stating that its “rich heritage and strong emotional connection” with customers are “truly remarkable”.

In their own joining statement, Alessandro and Lorenzo Boglione, executive vice presidents of BasicNet and current co-CEOs of K-Way, commented: "We are very pleased to have found a proven and successful CEO of the calibre of Luca and we are excited to see him driving K-Way going forward.

“Luca is a true fan of the brand, and he is really focused on turning K-Way into a global brand. We are entirely aligned in terms of the journey going forward and are looking forward to seeing Luca take the business to the next level."

Permira Growth Opportunities II, a fund overseen by investment firm Permira, entered into an agreement to acquire a minority stake in K-Way back in October. At the time, the firm said it was well-positioned to support K-Way’s growth across its channels, particularly in the way of direct-to-consumer avenues.