Consistent with LVMH’s tendency to promote from within, DFS Group has tapped Le Bon Marché executive Catherine Newey as its new managing director of DFS Europe, effective June 17.
Newey succeeds Eléonore de Boysson, who has “decided to pursue external opportunities” after 25 years within LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, according to an internal announcement seen by WWD.
It noted that Dewey will be charged with “setting the strategic direction of the European business and elevating the customer experience.”
In her new role, Dewey reports to Benjamin Vuchot, chairman and chief executive officer of the DFS Group, whose flagship retail stores include Fondaco dei Tedeschi in Venice, Italy, and Samaritaine Paris.
“Catherine is the perfect profile to lead our Europe business,” Vuchot said in the memo. “I am confident that her great sense of leadership will take DFS to higher levels.”
“Her promotion illustrates once more the importance given to internal mobility within the group,” said Chris de Lapuente, chairman and CEO of LVMH’s selective retailing division.
“Thanks to her extensive marketing and retail experience at Louis Vuitton and at Le Bon Marché, she will be well positioned to share retail best practices to elevate the customer experience and strengthen the DFS proposition in Europe,” he added.
The announcement lauded the accomplishments of de Boysson. In it, Vuchot referred to “her outstanding contributions to the growth of our business in Europe and Middle East and the development of our people,” having overseen the openings of Fondaco dei Tedeschi in October 2016 and Samaritaine Paris in June 2021.
“The opening of La Samaritan was a significant accomplishment for Both DFS and the LVMH Group after seven years of extraordinary renovation to remain faithful to the history of the property and delays due to COVID-19,” Vuchot continued. “Eléonore has also successfully led the Abu Dhabi business, which grew tremendously over the past 11 years.”
De Boysson’s next move could not immediately be learned.
After attaining undergraduate and post-graduate degrees in marketing from University Paris Dauphine and ECSP-EAP, Dewey worked in various senior merchandising and commercial roles at Printemps and Kering before joining Louis Vuitton in 2014 as marketing director for accessories.
She moved over to Le Bon Marché in 2017, ultimately assuming the role of commercial director.
Elodie Abrial, currently women’s fashion director of Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche, succeeds Dewey as commercial director of the Paris department store.
