Marco Bicego Appoints Matteo Cuelli as Global Marketing Director: A Strategic Pivot for the “New Chapter” of Italian Luxury
VICENZA, Italy — In a move that signals a decisive shift toward centralized brand governance and aggressive international expansion, the renowned Italian jewelry house Marco Bicego has appointed Matteo Cuelli as its new Global Marketing Director. The appointment, effective as of last month, marks the creation of a brand-new executive role designed to steer the company through what it describes as a “new chapter of global growth.”
As the luxury jewelry sector faces an increasingly competitive and digital-first landscape in 2026, Marco Bicego’s decision to bring in a seasoned veteran from heavyweights like Swarovski and L’Oréal Luxe suggests a maturation of the family-owned business. It represents a pivot from a product-led export strategy to a cohesive, brand-led global narrative.
A Strategic Milestone: The Creation of the Global Marketing Director Role
For over two decades, Marco Bicego has operated with a marketing structure that was largely functional and distributed across various regional markets. The creation of the Global Marketing Director position is not merely a hiring decision; it is a structural reorganization.
The brand has reached a critical inflection point. Having established a robust presence in the United States—its most significant foreign market—and expanded its footprint in Europe and Asia, the company identified a need for a unified voice. The disparate marketing efforts that served the brand well during its initial growth phase are now being consolidated under Cuelli’s leadership.
This “structured way” of strengthening leadership, as described by the company, aims to ensure that the Marco Bicego story is told with the same consistency and elegance in Shanghai as it is in New York or its native Vicenza. The goal is clear: to elevate brand desirability and ensure a seamless integration between the physical luxury experience and the digital storytelling that drives modern consumer behavior.
Matteo Cuelli: A Profile in Luxury Leadership
Matteo Cuelli’s arrival at the Vicenza headquarters brings a wealth of corporate luxury discipline to the artisanal house. His resume reads like a tour of the European premium lifestyle sector, characterized by roles that blend high-volume retail strategy with exclusive brand equity management.
From Swarovski to Vicenza: A Track Record of Transformation
Cuelli joins Marco Bicego directly from Swarovski, where he spent two years serving as Vice President of Marketing and Head of Brand and Digital Marketing Management. At Swarovski, Cuelli was instrumental in navigating the Austrian crystal giant’s recent rebranding efforts, gaining critical experience in how heritage brands must evolve to capture the attention of Gen Z and millennial consumers without alienating loyalists.
His expertise in digital marketing management is particularly pertinent. The fine jewelry industry has historically been slow to adopt digital transformation, relying heavily on the tactile, in-store experience. However, post-2025 luxury trends indicate that the “research online, purchase offline” (ROPO) journey is now dominant. Cuelli’s background suggests that Marco Bicego is preparing to invest heavily in its digital ecosystem, turning its online presence into a primary vehicle for brand equity rather than just a sales channel.
Deep Roots in Lifestyle and Beauty
Prior to his tenure at Swarovski, Cuelli held significant leadership roles at:
- Safilo Group: One of the world’s leading eyewear manufacturers, where brand licensing and portfolio management require a keen eye for distinct brand identities.
- L’Oréal Luxe: The gold standard for beauty marketing, where emotional storytelling and aspiration are the core products.
- Geox: A role that likely provided grounding in Italian operational excellence and global export logistics.
This cross-sector experience equips Cuelli with a holistic view of the “lifestyle” consumer—a woman who does not just buy jewelry, but curates a life of “everyday luxury,” a concept central to Marco Bicego’s philosophy.
The “Marco Bicego” Vision: 25 Years of Excellence
The timing of this appointment is far from coincidental. It aligns with a celebratory and reflective period for the brand, which recently marked its 25th anniversary. To commemorate a quarter-century of operation, the company released a capsule collection featuring 25 distinct designs, a testament to its creative longevity.
Craftsmanship as a Competitive Moat
In an era of mass production and 3D-printed jewelry, Marco Bicego has doubled down on the human hand. The brand is famous for its Bulino technique, an ancient Florentine engraving method where artisans use a specialized tool to hand-carve hundreds of tiny lines onto the gold’s surface, creating a texture akin to spun silk.
Furthermore, the brand’s signature “coil” technique—where gold strands are twisted to form flexible, guitar-string-like shapes—has become an instantly recognizable code of the house.
However, in a crowded global market, having a superior product is no longer enough. The challenge for Cuelli will be to translate these tactile, visual manufacturing details into compelling marketing narratives that resonate on Instagram, TikTok, and global billboards. He is tasked with making the process as desirable as the product, ensuring that the “Made in Vicenza” label commands the premium it deserves.
Navigating the Modern Luxury Landscape
The “new chapter” alluded to by the brand involves navigating a complex geopolitical and economic map. The luxury jewelry market in 2026 is bifurcated: mega-brands like Cartier and Tiffany & Co. (under LVMH) are dominating with massive ad spends, while independent houses must compete on authenticity and agility.
The Digital Imperative and Brand Agility
Cuelli’s mandate includes a strong focus on “consumer centricity.” Today’s luxury consumer demands a dialogue with the brand. They want sustainability transparency, behind-the-scenes access to the atelier, and a personalized shopping journey.
By centralizing marketing, Marco Bicego can now roll out global campaigns that are adaptable to local nuances. For instance, the brand has recently expanded its presence in China, opening a second boutique in Shanghai. The marketing mix required to succeed in the WeChat ecosystem of China is vastly different from the department store model of the United States. Cuelli’s experience in global organizations will be vital in orchestrating these complex, multi-market strategies without diluting the brand’s core Italian identity.
Strengthening the Founder-Led Narrative
Unlike many of its competitors, Marco Bicego is still led by its founder. Marco Bicego, the man, remains the CEO and Creative Director, ensuring the product vision remains pure.
In his statement regarding the appointment, Marco Bicego emphasized the synergy between his creative vision and Cuelli’s structural expertise:
“Matteo’s appointment represents a natural evolution of our organization. As the brand continues to grow internationally, we felt the need to further strengthen our marketing leadership in a structured way.”
This partnership—the artisan and the executive—is a classic formula for scaling Italian family businesses. It allows the founder to focus on the gold, the gemstones, and the design, while the marketing director focuses on the KPIs, the market penetration strategies, and the brand architecture.
Conclusion: A Polished Future
The appointment of Matteo Cuelli is a declaration of intent. Marco Bicego is no longer content to be a successful niche player; it is positioning itself as a global powerhouse in the fine jewelry space.
By integrating Cuelli’s corporate rigor with Bicego’s artisanal soul, the brand is poised to bridge the gap between Old World craftsmanship and New World marketing. As the company steps into this new era, the industry will be watching closely to see how this new leadership duo polishes the hidden gem of Vicenza for the global stage.
