MAUREEN CHIQUET LEAVES CHANEL

Hours after Karl Lagerfeld showed another blockbuster Chanel Couture show, the luxurygoods house confirmed the exit of Maureen Chiquet, global chief executive officer since 2007.
The high-profile American-born executive, formerly at Gap, will leave at the end of the month. The reason seems to be differing views on the strategic direction of the company. Her role will be assumed by Alain Wertheimer, whose family co-controls Chanel, and whose fortunes make him one of the richest men in France. According to various press reports, the fashion group praised the 52-year-old Chiquet for the house’s successful international expansion and for having enhanced its luxury positioning and timeless image, growing the business across all categories.