Guichot becomes SMCP chief as Lalonde quits for new opportunity

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Aug 2, 2021

Big change is coming at SMCP. On Monday, the Sandro, Maje, Claudie Pierlot and Fursac owner named Isabelle Guichot as its new CEO, to replace Daniel Lalonde who’s off to pastures new.

Guichot has been CEO of Maje since September 2017. That’s one of SMCP’s most successful brands and the company said she had “since then successfully grown the brand while demonstrating continuously her business and leadership skills”.

The business, which is majority-owned by China’s Shandong Ruyi, said Lalonde has resigned and “has decided to pursue new professional opportunities outside the group”. It didn’t say where he was headed.

Lalonde will “ensure a transition period with Isabelle Guichot and will leave the group by October”. 

As mentioned, Guichot has been with the business for almost four years. Before that she had an impressive CV, working at Kering and Richemont and was CEO of Balenciaga for nine years, after being CEO at Sergio Rossi. 

Prior to Kering, at Richemont, she was CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels then Lancel, after starting her career within Cartier, where she spent 13 years in different management positions.

After the fast promotion of Guichot to group CEO, she and the board are now looking for a successor to take over her position at Maje.

The company also thanked Lalonde “for the great work he accomplished over the past eight years, and more recently his strong leadership and commitment during the pandemic”. It said that “under his leadership a global leader in the accessible luxury segment”.

And Evelyne Chétrite, Judith Milgrom and Ilan Chétrite, deputy General Managers of SMCP and founders and respective Artistic Directors of Sandro women, Maje and Sandro men, also talked of the “wonderful eight years” with him in charge. “Together, we wrote numerous chapters of SMCP’s history, including the international expansion of our amazing brands, the group’s successful IPO and the arrival of a new brand in the SMCP family”, they said. “We wish Daniel all the best in this new adventure. We are happy to appoint a talent of the group to replace him and look forward to continue to work closely with Isabelle to pursue SMCP’s strategy and to spread Parisian chic across the world.”

SMCP also confirmed its commitment to the plan Lalonde has overseen — dubbed One Journey — that combines “a stronger focus on brand attractiveness, a phygital expansion, a strengthened platform and a reinforced commitment to sustainability”.