PARIS

When we were in McKenzie, the Gucci family was run by Maurizio with his cousins. They wanted to make the transition from family to management so they came to McKenzie and they got a General manager and a team of people from McKenzie's. It failed.

Luxury goods have a spirit, have a soul. They are not just numbers, they are not just logistics they are not just mechanisms, there is something intangible that we sell to our clients that goes beyond the product. So on one side understanding the philosophy of the family which has been creating a successful story, I think it is a key ingredient to continue the successful story later on when you bring in more management, more systems, more professionalism - you should never forget that the success of that product started from a family where there was something intangible.

US$2.75