Chanel has confirmed Bruno Pavlovsky's resignation from the board of directors of Chanel Limited. « We confirm that Bruno Pavlovsky has resigned from the board of Chanel Limited », the house said in response to a request from WWD. The executive nonetheless retains his operational roles as president of the house's fashion activities and president of Chanel SAS, according to Chanel.
According to the house, « Bruno Pavlovsky remains fully committed to his role as president of Chanel's fashion activities and president of Chanel SAS ». He also remains president of the swimwear brand Eres, owned by Chanel, and president of Le19M, the house's hub for artisanal craftsmanship located north of Paris.
A governance evolution underway for several years
According to WWD, this departure from the board is part of a succession plan undertaken for five years by the Wertheimer family, which owns Chanel. The house had already appointed three new non-executive directors last year, in a move strengthening the board's diversity. Alain Wertheimer, global executive chairman, and Leena Nair, global chief executive officer who joined in 2021, sit on the board as global executive directors.
Chanel stated that « this latest move marks the completion of the board's evolution towards a composition of independent directors, bringing diverse external expertise and perspectives, while retaining executive representation through the global executive chairman and global chief executive officer ». The house added that « today's board composition provides an appropriate balance of independent oversight, continuity and Chanel leadership ».
Chief financial officer Philippe Blondiaux, who has held the position for fifteen years and is due to retire at the end of 2026, will also not be replaced as a board member, according to WWD. Bruno Pavlovsky and he will therefore not be replaced in that capacity.
A career that began in 1990
Having joined Chanel in 1990 after a stint at Deloitte, Bruno Pavlovsky became president of the fashion division in 2004. He had sat on the board since October 2018. He worked alongside three of the house's four official creative directors, from Karl Lagerfeld until his death in 2019, then Virginie Viard between 2019 and 2024, and Matthieu Blazy since April 2025. He also chairs the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, a position to which he was re-elected in July, and was named an officer of the Ordre national du Mérite by Emmanuel Macron last year.
For Caroline Pill, partner and head of the luxury practice at Heidrick & Struggles, this change represents « a constructive evolution in Chanel's governance. A strong board brings independent perspectives and strategic challenge, while the leadership team remains focused on running the business. Bruno continuing to lead fashion provides valuable continuity and deep institutional knowledge. »
Under Leena Nair's leadership, Chanel has seen the departure of several long-standing executives, including John Galantic, president and chief operating officer of Chanel Inc since 2006. Bruno Pavlovsky remains, according to WWD, the last representative of that generation of executives still in post.
