Santa Maria Novella Names Pesenti Chief Executive
The Florentine perfume house also created a general manager post, filled by Marco Barberini, as its Italmobiliare-backed ownership reshapes leadership.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in People
Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella has appointed Roberto Pesenti as chief executive officer, effective immediately, succeeding Ludivine Pont, who exited earlier in the year. The company also created a general manager role and appointed Marco Barberini to it.
Why it matters
The leadership changes follow Italmobiliare's first investment in the 800-year-old Italian beauty house in 2020 and signal an expansion effort under new management. Barberini will work alongside Pesenti to spearhead that growth.
The limited-edition Angeli di Firenze eau de parfum retails at 315 euros, one of the brand's few disclosed pricing points tied to the new product course. The extraction does not disclose the size of the expansion budget or revenue targets set under the new leadership.
The players
Roberto Pesenti
Pesenti is a board member of Italmobiliare and the newly appointed chief executive of the Florentine perfume house, having previously headed Italmobiliare's strategic development department.
Marco Barberini
Barberini is the newly appointed general manager of Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, tasked with working alongside the chief executive to drive expansion.
Italmobiliare
Italmobiliare is an Italian investment holding company that first invested in Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella in 2020 and now shapes its leadership.
The details
Pesenti, born in 1994, has sat on the Italmobiliare board since 2023 and has headed its strategic development department since January 2025. The company named Formafantasma as its first creative director, and a limited-edition scent launched exclusively in selected European and U.S. stores ahead of planned distribution in Japan and South Korea in the first half of 2027.
Timeline
2020: Italmobiliare first invests in the company.
January 2025: Pesenti begins heading Italmobiliare's strategic development department.
November 3, 2026: Pesenti and Barberini appointments take effect immediately.
First half of 2027: Limited-edition scent distribution planned for Japan and South Korea.
Market Landscape
Italmobiliare's 2020 entry into Santa Maria Novella follows a pattern of investment holding companies taking stakes in centuries-old Italian luxury houses to modernize them. The new CEO and general manager appointments mark the transition from investment to active management of that pattern.
Shoppers outside Italy may find the limited-edition scent at selected brick-and-mortar stores in Europe and the U.S. now, with Japan and South Korea distribution expected in the first half of 2027. The 315-euro price point sets the expectation for buyers of the new product course.
The takeaway
Leadership changes at heritage brands often precede shifts in product pricing and distribution, so watch for new releases from the Florentine house as the new general manager and CEO set their direction. Check retail listings in your region before the planned 2027 rollout in Asia.
Further reading
For more on the executives shaping heritage brands, browse the People section.
