Editor’s Note
This article has been updated to reflect the passing of Francesco Trapani, the former CEO who led Bulgari for three decades and oversaw its 1995 stock market listing.
Francesco Trapani passed away last night at his home in Rome. The 68-year-old businessman and executive, a descendant of the Bulgari family, led the maison, founded in 1884, as CEO for three decades. The firm became one of the world’s leading players in the luxury sector, with a presence in jewelry, watchmaking, fragrances, leather goods, and prestigious hospitality.
Under Trapani’s leadership since 1984, the brand began its diversification process and accelerated the internationalization of its activities. In July 1995, Trapani led Bulgari’s initial public offering on the Italian Stock Exchange, where it remained until 2011 when the brand became part of the French group LVMH.
After completing the integration of Bulgari into LVMH, Trapani found new professional challenges with significant roles at Clessidra, Bluebell Capital Partners, Tiffany, Tages Group, and Vam Investments.
Trapani is survived by his four children: Rebecca, Agostino, Vittoria, and Allegra.
The funeral will be held in Rome, at the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at 12:00 GMT.
Francesco Trapani was born in Rome in 1957, the son of renowned surgeon Agostino Trapani and Lia Bulgari, the elder sister of Gianni, Paolo, and Nicola, sons of Giorgio Bulgari. This made Francesco the grandson of Sotirio Bulgari, a Greek-born silversmith and founder of the famous jewelry house, Bulgari. After graduating in Business Administration from the University of Naples, Trapani attended Business Management courses at New York University. He joined the family business in 1981, working with his maternal uncles as an assistant to the financial director. Three years later, in 1984, at just 27 years old, he became CEO.
Under his leadership, the company experienced three decades of steady growth. This was the result of a successful long-term strategy based on a highly professional organizational structure, product diversification (watches, perfumes, accessories), distribution expansion, and strong investments in communication aimed at consolidating the brand’s fame.
To accelerate international expansion, in 1995 Trapani successfully led Bulgari’s IPO on the Italian Stock Exchange, with the Bulgari family as the majority shareholder. Simultaneously, other activities were undertaken to strengthen the brand’s global reputation, such as the creation of Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, a joint venture with Marriott International / Ritz-Carlton.
Thanks to these initiatives, what was in 1984 a jewelry company with a turnover of about 25 million euros, five stores, and 80 employees, became the Bulgari Group. It was one of the world’s leading players in the luxury market, with a product portfolio spanning from jewelry to watches, accessories, perfumes, and hotels, and a turnover of around 1.5 billion euros, 4,000 employees, and 300 stores worldwide.
Again under Trapani’s direction, in 2011 Bulgari joined forces with LVMH. At the time of the transaction, the company was valued at 4.3 billion euros. Trapani remained as Chairman and CEO of LVMH’s Watches and Jewelry division for the three years following the acquisition to successfully complete the integration of Bulgari into LVMH. Subsequently, he served as Senior Advisor to Bernard Arnault and a member of LVMH’s board of directors until 2016.