La Redoute has appointed Fabien Versavao as its new CEO. | kbnmart

Fabien Versavoux, formerly of Rakuten France, has joined La Redoute as its new CEO. He succeeds Philippe Berlan, who resigned in July after more than two years in the role.

Since 2018, Versavao has served as CEO of Rakuten France and CEO of Europe, where he notably completed the repositioning and diversification of the former PriceMinister following its acquisition by Rakuten.

A graduate of ESC Clermont-Ferrand, Versavao has previous experience at Ford and Renault, as well as LeGuide.com and SNCF Voyages International. He also oversaw digital marketing at Le Figaro from 2011 to 2016 and was general manager of online ticketing portal Ticketac.com from 2013 to 2016.

La Redoute, wholly owned by the Houzé family since 2022, has tasked its new leader with defining a strategic roadmap aimed at supporting growth both locally and internationally. This includes strengthening its position in the home sector and improving performance.

“The strength of his background, his recognized expertise in e-commerce and his ability to lead ambitious projects will be invaluable assets in opening a new chapter in the history of La Redoute. We are confident that, with the support of all employees, he will continue to strengthen the company’s leadership in the local market and expand its presence in ready-to-wear, all while maintaining the company’s long-standing spirit of innovation,” said Philippe Housé and Nicolas Housé, Chairman of the Board of Directors of La Redoute and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Galeries Lafayette Group respectively.

The appointment comes at a pivotal time in La Redoute’s history. The former e-commerce site turned mail-order catalogue announced last November that it was refocusing on its home offerings, which last year accounted for nearly 60% of its business, historically outpacing its core apparel segment.

La Redoute, which has nine independent stores, 50 boutiques and an active customer base of 8.8 million worldwide, announced in mid-July the appointment of a new HR director, choosing Antoine Musiereau to succeed Tristan Dubois.