Carcelle takes over to drive Asian expansion for LVMH

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LVMH Group ceo Marcello Bottoli is to step down, the company said today

Bottoli will be replaced by Yves Carcelle, head of the group's fashion division LVMH fashion.

Carcelle is currently responsible for the group's brands Donna Karan, Fendi, Kenzo, Leowe, Celine, Thoma Pink, Christian Lacroix, Givenchy, Emilio Pucci, Marc Jacobs and Berluti.

A spokesman declined to comment on the reasons for Bottoli's departure but said the company is now tackling "major challenges" in developing the Louis Vuitton brand.

Bottoli has been ceo of LVMH since September 2001. The LVMH spokesman said that top of the agenda for Carcelle as he resumes control at Louis Vuitton, which he headed from 1997 to 2000, will be ensuring successful development of the brand in Asia.

In August LVMH opened its biggest-ever Louis Vuitton store in the Omotesando district of Tokyo, bringing its presence in Japan to 44 stores - double the figure of ten years earlier - out of a total worldwide of 300. LVMH also has active expansion plans  in China, Korea and Thailand, and recently announced plans for a second store in Vietnam (TRW 05/11/02).