Ferrari Replaces Marketing Chief After Launch of First All-Electric Luce

Recently, Ferrari announced the appointment of Massimiliano Di Silvestre as Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer, effective July 1. This change comes just weeks after the brand's first all-electric model, Luce, was unveiled in Rome, with former Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer Enrico Galliera departing.

Ferrari officially stated that Galliera's departure was a personal choice, but the market generally links this executive change to the feedback following Luce's launch. On the day of Luce's unveiling, Ferrari's stock price fell by 8% in a single day.

The new Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer, Massimiliano Di Silvestre, previously served as the head of BMW's Italian division, bringing experience in luxury automotive brand operations and management.

Former head Enrico Galliera spent 16 years at Ferrari, leading the brand's marketing and commercial strategies in recent years. Although Ferrari has not confirmed that the personnel change is directly related to the Luce model, the replacement of the marketing chief shortly after the new car's launch is seen by the industry as a measure to adjust the brand's product communication strategy.

As Ferrari's first all-electric model, Luce boasts a maximum power of 1,050 horsepower and a CLTC range of 530 km. The model's name and interior design by Jonathan Ive were announced two months in advance in February, with performance parameters also disclosed months before the actual vehicle's debut.

This upfront release of information left only the exterior design as a new highlight at the June Rome launch event, and the car's exterior styling sparked extensive negative discussions on social media.

Additionally, Luce's communication positioning emphasized driving attributes rather than electric technology itself, but the launch event did not arrange media test drives, leaving the core selling point of dynamic performance unverified.

For ultra-luxury brands, driving quality is a key factor supporting brand value, and the lack of a hands-on experience segment in the launch format weakened the product's persuasiveness. This incident reflects the challenges traditional luxury brands face in managing product communication pace and user expectations during the transition to electrification.