HOLT RENFREW NAMES SEBASTIAN PICARDO AS PRESIDENT, CEO

Canadian luxury retailer Holt Renfrew has named Sebastian Picardo as its new president and CEO. He will take over on June 1st from Mario Grauso, who has been planning to return to the United States for some time and will support the transition.

“I want to thank Mario for his significant contribution to Holt Renfrew these last years,” said Anne Pitcher, managing director of Selfridges Group, which owns Holt Renfrew. “Under his leadership, he transformed our stores into the luxury destinations we have today, enhancing the business and its iconic status as a world-class retail brand and a leader in the Canadian market. We wish Mario every success and all the best in his future endeavours.”

“It has been a privilege to lead Holt Renfrew and I am proud of what we have accomplished and the great team and beautiful environments we have built,” added Grauso. “The company is in a great place and it is the right time for me to move to my next challenge. I want to wish the business continued success and thank everyone for their support.”

Picardo most recently served as deputy president of Asia’s iconic luxury department store Lane Crawford. At Lane Crawford, he created and delivered an omnichannel strategy to drive exceptional customer experiences in Greater China. He also played a critical role in refreshing the iconic retailer’s mission and values, leading a major cultural transformation across the company. Picardo has also held leadership roles at Burberry, Net-A-Porter, and Alexander McQueen.

“There are few senior leaders of Sebastian’s pedigree and proven track record of success in the luxury retail space, and we are delighted that he will bring his extensive experience to Holt Renfrew,” continued Pitcher. “Throughout his career leading some of the world’s most successful brands, Sebastian has demonstrated an ability to see retail as an all-channel experience and to continually innovate and empower his teams to exceed customer expectations. We look forward to exciting new opportunities under his leadership.”

“It is an incredible privilege to join a retail brand with such tremendous heritage in the Canadian market,” commented Picardo. “I look forward to partnering with the rest of the leadership team to further unlock the value of the brand, its customer and vendor relationships, its talented team and beautiful store locations, underpinned by the significant investments made in the past few years.”