MILAN — It didn’t take long.
After less than two months following the change in ownership, Bally’s chief executive officer Nicolas Girotto has exited the Swiss company.
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Girotto announced on LinkedIn that he was leaving Bally “to take on new challenges.” Only two weeks ago, he attended the Bally spring 2025 fashion show in Milan, flanked by Michael Reinstein, founder and chairman of Regent.
In mid-August, an affiliate of Regent, the owner of Club Monaco and Escada, acquired Bally International A.G. from JAB.
“Leading the brand, which has been a symbol of craftsmanship since 1851, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” Girotto stated. “Over the years, we’ve achieved so much together — navigating the complexities of COVID-19, embracing digital transformation, drastically improving our sustainability footprint and, most recently, witnessing Bally reclaim its authority on the global fashion stage.”
Market sources in Milan say that Ennio Fontana, a former general manager of Roberto Cavalli and of Dsquared2, is expected to succeed Girotto. Bally had no comment on the rumor.
Girotto joined Bally in October 2015 and he was promoted from his role of chief operations officer to CEO in 2019. In 2022 he named Rhuigi Villaseñor to the role of creative director, and after the exit of the Los Angeles-based designer, he appointed Gucci alum Simone Bellotti in May 2023.
Before joining Bally, Girotto was the chief financial officer of airport and duty-free retailer The Nuance Group. Before that, he worked with Italian retailer Conbipel and with Dutch optics giant GrandVision, where he started his career in 1997.
Bally is headquartered in Caslano, Switzerland, and has 1,500 employees worldwide.
The company has more than 320 stores worldwide and 500 multibrand points of sale spanning 60 countries. Its e-commerce platform serves 61 countries.
Bally collections include menswear, womenswear, shoes and accessories.
Regent has diversified its investments across sectors, including retail, luxury, media, technology, automotive and industrial ranging from Sassoon and Lydech to Boundless Learning, DiamondBack, Redline and DryBar to name a few.
Based in Beverly Hills, Regent also has a media portfolio that includes Sunset, Defense News, Military Times and broadcaster CheddarTV.