The man who decided which wealthy clients could buy a Ferrari has quit just weeks after the company's first all-electric vehicle was met with a torrent of online ridicule and a sharp drop in share price.
Enrico Galliera, Ferrari's chief marketing and commercial officer for 16 years, is leaving the role. He will be replaced in July by Massimiliano Di Silvestre, former head of BMW Italy. Ferrari said Galliera had "decided to embark on a new chapter in his professional journey — a decision shared with the company some time ago."
“Ferrari marketing chief Enrico Galliera quits after 16 years, weeks after Luce EV launch backlash and 8% share price drop.”
The announcement came days after the launch of the Luce, a $640,000 (£485,552) electric supercar whose design was overseen by Sir Jony Ive, the British designer behind the iPhone. The car sparked a wave of internet memes and negative reactions. Italy's deputy prime minister and transport minister Matteo Salvini, a former Ferrari chairman, publicly criticised its look.
Ferrari's shares plunged 8% the day after the Luce was unveiled in May. The company did not mention the electric car in its statement about Galliera's departure.
Galliera's role was pivotal: he managed which customers were deemed worthy of buying the Italian marque's most exclusive models. Since taking the post in 2010, he had overseen key moments including the launch of the LaFerrari hybrid hypercar in 2013 and the company's listings on the New York Stock Exchange and Milan exchange in 2015 and 2016.
Chief executive Benedetto Vigna said Galliera "has played a significant role in the company's growth and in strengthening the Ferrari brand worldwide." He added: "He has the gratitude of the entire Ferrari team and my personal best wishes for the future."
Galliera declined to comment beyond the company statement. Ferrari expressed gratitude for his service, but the timing of his exit — 16 years in, weeks after the biggest product backlash in the company's history — leaves a question hanging over the Luce's troubled birth.