Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio.
NEWARK, N.J.—Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio, chief strategy officer with EssilorLuxottica (Reuters: ESLX.PA) since 2022 and president of the Ray-Ban brand since 2024, will be stepping down from his leadership roles, the company has confirmed to VMAIL. Del Vecchio, 31, who is the fourth child of the late Luxottica founder Leonardo Del Vecchio, submitted a letter of resignation this week indicating that his last day with the company will be August 31, according to reports published in reputable news outlets.
When reached by VMAIL, a spokesperson with EssilorLuxottica confirmed Del Vecchio was stepping down from all his roles at the company to dedicate himself to what they said was “new entrepreneurial projects.”
“We express our gratitude for his contribution to the group’s growth and the realization of the strategic vision championed by his father,” the statement indicated. “We wish him equal success in his new venture.”
Del Vecchio first joined the company in 2017 as a business analyst, according to his LinkedIn profile. In addition to his roles as chief strategy officer, in which he served for 4 years, and chairman of the Ray-Ban brand for just more than 2 years, he also served as head of Salmoiraghi & Viganò, a leading Italian optical retail chain, from 2018 until taking on broader duties within EssilorLuxottica in 2024. The company finalized its acquisition of Salmoiraghi & Viganò in late 2016.
Outside of EssilorLuxottica, Del Vecchio also has served as co-founder and president of Triple Sea Food, a Milan-based hospitality venture with a focus on high-end dining, since 2021.
The news of Del Vecchio’s departure comes about 8 months after the resignation of Rocco Basilico, the younger Del Vecchio’s half-brother, who stepped down in January 2026 from his role as chief wearables officer, which he had held since 2019. Basilico, who played a key role in the company’s development and launch of wearable technologies, helped to initiate and lead the partnership between EssilorLuxottica and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META). Basilico also held leadership roles for Oliver Peoples, first as head of business development and later CEO from November 2016 until his departure.
Del Vecchio could not be reached for comment as of press time.
