Campari Group’s financial head, Paolo Marchesini, has signalled his intention to step down after 28 years.
Marchesini, who has been CFO for the company since 1997, before becoming chief financial & operating officer later in his tenure, will vacate the role later this year. Campari’s next CFO – the “global supply chain function” will be absorbed by CEO Simon Hunt – will be Francesco Mele (below), who joins the company from CDP Cassa Depositi e Prestiti.
The transition will occur during the fourth quarter of this year.
Marchesini was credited by the company with having been “instrumental in steering the growth agenda” and having “played a key role in driving both the organic and external growth, the latter marked by a long track record of acquisitions and integration of 40 new businesses”. Almost exactly a year ago, he co-assumed the CEO position on an interim basis after Matteo Fantacchiotti left abruptly after five months in post.
Marchesini will remain with the brand owner as vice-chair of its board of directors.
Mele, who has been with CDP since 2022, was part of the Goldman Sachs team that advised Campari during the acquisition process for the Aperol brand in 2003.
“I feel deeply honoured by the recognition of being promoted to the vice chairman role … ,” said Marchesini. “I am also delighted to hand over to Francesco, a solid manager with international experience, whom I have known for many years.
“I am confident he will do a great job and that the company will continue to go from strength to strength under this leadership.”
In its latest results, posted in August, Campari saw its six-month sales to the end of June increase by 3.5%, providing a reverse on Q1’s -4.2% top-line performance. Subsequently, the first half of 2025 was flat versus the corresponding period a year earlier.
