Patrizio di Marco of Bottega Veneta

Bottega Veneta has long been my favorite fashion house for handbags. The classic, not trend-driven bags, the trademark intrecciato designs, the soft Italian leathers, and the timeless color palettes, are to die for. So, you can imagine my excitement by the opportunity I had to attend a lecture two weeks ago at the Kellogg School of Management with Patrizio di Marco, BV's President & CEO. Di Marco, who has held his current position since 2001, chronicled the successful company turnaround he spearheaded ($45M to $500M in sales in six years). He was confident, slow spoken, and had an ironic sense of humor. I got to shake his hand and thank him for coming in Italian, which surprised him, and delighted me :)