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Clinical Professor Thomaï Serdari, academic director of Stern’s MBA in luxury and retail,  welcomes attendees to the Program’s inaugural “Unlocking New Value in the Luxury Sector” conference in Florence, Italy at NYU’s Villa La Pietra

In order to successfully compete in today’s shifting markets, leaders in the luxury sector have to contend with a pressing question: how can they continue to create value along the entire value chain while addressing new realities and searching for new business models? This January, Stern’s MBA in luxury and retail, the first and only program of its kind in the US, convened top industry executives, global thought leaders and expert faculty in Florence, Italy to share innovative solutions to these real-time challenges.

The inaugural conference, entitled “Unlocking New Value in the Luxury Sector,” took place at NYU’s Villa La Pietra, near the heart of Italian luxury production and manufacturing. Clinical Professor Thomaï Serdari, academic director of Stern’s MBA in luxury and retail, created and led the event.

“Stern’s MBA in luxury and retail was created hand in hand with industry, and through this inaugural conference, we are continuing the dialogue together,” Professor Serdari said. “We’ve convened today’s top thinkers, including founders, c-suite executives and senior leaders, along with expert Stern faculty, to discuss innovation and value generation for the global luxury sector and importantly, provide immediately actionable insights.”  

The conference featured keynotes from alumnus James Ferragamo (BA ’93, MBA ’97), Chief Transformation & Sustainability Officer at Ferragamo, and Stern Clinical Professor Anat Lechner, a roster of industry speakers, and two panels featuring representatives from global luxury powerhouses LVMH, Fendi and Versace, and Italian entrepreneurs such as Manteco, Tivoli Group, 4sustainability, Holding Moda, Lanificio Cangioli 1859, and ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme. Additional Stern faculty presenters included Visiting Professor Massimiliano Bonacchi and Adjunct Professor Cristiano Zazzara. The productive dialogue covered a range of topics impacting the industry today, including:

• Engaging with the supply chain to target sustainable solutions that provide value to customers and brands alike 
• The impact of new technologies like AI on brand operations and the consumer experience 
• New international regulations, insights into the current geopolitical landscape, the impact of shifting global consumer habits and how brands can address these worldwide trends 
• Recognizing volume as a concept of the past and embracing regionalism to recapture consumer interest and supplier value

Professor Serdari touched on some of these themes. “We need to abandon the volume mentality to enter the era of value,” she said, referencing the focus over the past decade on costly mass production. “Companies need to pursue value through new avenues that are authentic to their brand – creative partnerships, reimagining the customer service experience, targeting consumer interest by region and more.”

Conference sponsors and partners included Ferragamo, Huedata Inc., Tivoli Group, Simon Pearce, and Ditta Artigianale.

Additional photos from the event included below: 

Professor Thomaï Serdari opening the conference

Professor Thomaï Serdari asking a question of keynote speaker James Ferragamo (BA ’93, MBA ’97), Chief Transformation & Sustainability Officer at Ferragamo 

Clinical Professor Anat Lechner, who delivered a keynote address, with Clinical Professor Thomaï Serdari  

Adjunct Professor Cristiano Zazzara, one of the conference’s presenters, with Clinical Professor Thomaï Serdari  

Visiting Professor Massimiliano Bonacchi shares insights

Conference speaker Flavio Sciuccati, Senior Partner, The European House, Ambrosetti Group, with Clinical Professor Thomaï Serdari  

Keynote speaker James Ferragamo (BA ’93, MBA ’97), Chief Transformation & Sustainability Officer at Ferragamo, with Clinical Professor Thomaï Serdari