Eyewear industry player Sailor Group has appointed Francesco Rinaldi Ceroni as President & Chief Commercial Officer for the North American market, effective June 1, following the retirement of Steve Wright.
Ceroni has extensive wholesale and retail experience in the eyewear industry, having also served as VP, International Strategy & Business Development at Costa Del Mar during a significant period of expansion. He joined Safilo in June 2020 as Global General Manager of Smith Optics, Safilo’s biggest brand in the portfolio.
He will retain responsibility for Smith as President of Smith Optics, while Mark Phares, Director of Global Wholesale Channel for Smith, has been promoted to General Manager for Smith Optics, reporting to Ceroni.
“North America has a central role in Safilo’s strategy and business growth. I thank Steve for his countless contributions to the Group and extend my best wishes for his retirement. Francesco has driven the implementation of key transformational projects for the Smith division over the past two years, fully embracing the digital acceleration and innovative responsibility that sets Safilo Group apart in the marketplace. I’m very excited about where Safilo is today and the next chapter for North America, and I wish all the best to Francesco in his new role,” said Angelo Trocchia, CEO of Safilo Group.
Safilo Group was established in 1934 in Italy’s Veneto region. It is recognized in the industry for its design, manufacturing and distribution of optical frames, sunglasses, sports eyewear, goggles and helmets.
