MILAN — Ludivine Pont has quietly exited her role as chief executive officer of Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, WWD has learned.
Reached for comment on Friday, the company confirmed the move and that a successor has not been named yet. “The board of directors has redefined the distribution of [her] responsibilities among its members,” said the concise statement. As for Pont, her next move could not immediately be learned.
As reported, Pont was appointed to the company’s top role last year. She joined the Florence-based beauty brand from Balenciaga, where she had been chief marketing officer since 2021 and worked closely with artistic director Demna on the brand’s global expansion and digital innovation. At the time of her exit from the fashion house, Balenciaga was undergoing major changes with Demna being appointed artistic director of Gucci and being succeeded by former Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli.
Before Balenciaga, Pont served as worldwide marketing and communication director at Moncler, which she joined in 2016, at a time of development for the Milan-based brand as executive chairman Remo Ruffini overturned the company’s business model and strategy, launching Moncler Genius in 2018, a series of drops and capsules with designers ranging from Piccioli to Simone Rocha and Craig Green, to name a few. Prior to Moncler, Pont contributed to the international expansion of Philipp Plein.
At the historic Florentine beauty brand founded in 1221 and considered the world’s oldest apothecary, Pont was tasked with boosting the label’s global development, building on its unique heritage and artisanal know-how.
The company’s international push and strategic transformation accelerated with the backing of parent Italmobiliare, which first invested in the Italian beauty gem in 2020, marking its first operation in the perfume and cosmetics industry.
Santa Maria Novella has more than 600 products in its portfolio, encompassing scents, soaps, pomades, skin care, colognes and candles, all delivered in its signature, old-school packaging that contribute to its charm. Following Italmobiliare’s takeover, a new course also was initiated product-wise, with some items tweaked to meet current sustainability demands and the company opening up to newness by promoting its heritage. The approach culminated in 2022 not only with the introduction of “L’Iris,” the first eau de parfum in the brand’s 800-year history, but also with a boost in its skin care offering, which attracted younger consumers to the brand.
