Florim names Beatrice Lucchese as CEO
Italian ceramics group Florim has appointed engineer Beatrice Lucchese as its new Chief Executive Officer, following a board meeting held on 21 May 2026. The appointment brings the third generation of the founding Lucchese family into the group’s top executive role, marking a significant moment in the company’s leadership evolution as it navigates a challenging global market while deepening its sustainability commitments.
A Family Legacy Entering Its Third Chapter
Florim was established in the early 1960s by engineer Giovanni Lucchese, building from its roots in the ceramic district of Fiorano Modenese, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. The group has been led since 1984 by Chairman Claudio Lucchese, under whose stewardship it grew into an international reference point in high-end porcelain stoneware for architecture, interior design, and construction. Today, Florim employs more than 1,400 people worldwide and recorded revenues of approximately €420 million in 2025.
Beatrice Lucchese’s path to the top role has been deliberately methodical. A graduate in Engineering and Architecture from the University of Bologna, she began her career with research into nanotechnologies applied to construction materials before gaining experience in international multidisciplinary engineering firms. She joined Florim’s Board of Directors in 2021 and moved into operational roles within the company from 2022, progressing through Technical Sales Engineer, Chief Commercial Officer, and Project Director before her appointment as CEO.
Chairman Claudio Lucchese said: “I am confident that my niece Beatrice will lead Florim with enthusiasm, expertise and determination. Over the years, she has combined vision, listening skills and a deep understanding of the company, building a solid path within the group. Her appointment represents an important step in Florim’s continuity journey, with a strong focus on the future and new generations.”
Sustainability as Strategic Foundation
The leadership transition arrives at a moment when Florim has strengthened its position as one of the ceramics industry’s most recognised sustainability performers. The company became the first ceramic business in the world to achieve B Corp certification in 2020, and has since renewed that certification with an improved consolidated score of 105.6 points — up substantially from 90.9 at initial certification. Its US subsidiary, Florim USA, achieved its own B Corp certification in October 2025.
Since 2008, Florim has published an annual sustainability statement, now in its 17th edition. In 2024, the group allocated approximately €10 million to sustainability initiatives, bringing the cumulative total since 2011 to €74 million. Key focus areas include renewable energy, energy efficiency, packaging reform, and circular economy principles.
The company has invested heavily in on-site clean energy generation. Its photovoltaic installations at the Fiorano Modenese production site now cover 175,000 square metres, producing close to 18,000 MWh annually. A new 5 MWh energy storage system has been introduced to optimise energy flow management. By the end of 2026, Florim’s energy efficiency systems will have enabled the group to avoid the emission of more than 185,000 tonnes of CO₂ since 2012 — a figure that reflects the depth and consistency of its climate strategy.
Across the supply chain, Florim has introduced a shared Code of Conduct for suppliers and conducted sustainability performance assessments across its supplier base, broadening its ESG accountability beyond its own operations.
Vision for What Comes Next
Beatrice Lucchese, speaking on her appointment, stated: “Florim is a strong, international company deeply rooted in the values that have guided its growth over time. My commitment will be to continue this journey with an open perspective toward market evolution, innovation and the enhancement of internal talent, while further strengthening Florim’s identity and its role as a leading name in the world of high-end porcelain stoneware.”
The appointment comes as the Italian ceramics sector grapples with sustained demand headwinds. Florim’s consolidated sales fell 7.7% in 2024 to €416.3 million, a contraction the company attributed to geopolitical tensions, ongoing conflicts, and widespread commercial instability — conditions that have affected premium materials markets globally. That the company maintained an EBITDA margin of 18% through the downturn speaks to the operational discipline that will be among the incoming CEO’s most important inheritances.
Claudio Lucchese will remain in his role as Chairman and majority shareholder, continuing to contribute strategic guidance as Beatrice Lucchese assumes executive leadership. That arrangement — a deliberate overlap of generations — reflects a governance approach that prioritises continuity over rupture, allowing institutional knowledge to be retained while fresh direction is introduced at the executive level.
For an industry increasingly judged by its environmental footprint as much as its design credentials, the question now is how Florim’s third-generation leadership will build on the sustainability platform already in place. With the company’s global flagship store network spanning Milan, New York, London, Singapore, Seoul, and beyond, and its production base continuing to invest in clean energy infrastructure, the foundations for the next chapter are already well laid.
