Italian luxury sports car manufacturer Ferrari has officially announced the appointment Massimiliana Di Silvestrea to the position of Chief Marketing and Commercial Director. Di Silvestre will take up his duties on July 1, making him a key member of Ferrari’s management team and will report directly to the CEO. Benedict Vini.
He will succeed Di Silvestre in this position Enrica Gallieruwho, after more than sixteen years of work at Ferrari, has reportedly independently decided to start a new chapter in his professional career. According to the company’s official statement, Galliera made the decision to leave and shared it with the Ferrari management some time ago. By publishing this information, the Italian brand does not seem to want to link the change at the head of the marketing department with the rather poorly done job of presenting the Luce model, but the link is clear to anyone who follows the events in Maranello.
Fired for Luce?
This personnel change comes, namely, at a time when Ferrari is facing very intense reactions from the market and the public. They are the result of a specific marketing strategy for the launch of the first electric model. Namely, the company revealed the technical specifications and interior appearance of Luce months in advance, while the global presentation focused only on the exterior design – which in turn caused divided (and mostly negative) opinions from the public. At the same time, the media and critics were asked to trust the claim that the vehicle retains the recognizable Ferrari driving characteristics, despite the fact that journalists were not allowed to test it.
Such an approach left the narrative to design critics and the Internet, resulting in market reactions, numerous memes and jokes. The change at the head of the marketing sector is considered a logical outcome of those events, considering that Ferrari needs stabilization of communication and sales channels in the coming period.
The new director Di Silvestre brings to Ferrari extensive international experience, which he has built up over twenty years in management positions in the premium and luxury car sector. Before coming to Maranello, he held the position of President and CEO of the BMW Group in Italy.