Ferrari appoints former BMW executive as new marketing chief
Ferrari announced on June 23 that it has appointed Massimiliano Di Silvestre, former Managing Director of BMW Italy, as its new Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer, succeeding Enrico Galliera, a long-serving executive. This management reshuffle comes shortly after Ferrari launched its first all-electric model, the Luce. The new car has sparked considerable controversy, drawing widespread criticism at its unveiling.
Di Silvestre left BMW at the end of last month, having previously led BMW’s Italian operations for nearly seven years as President and CEO. Ferrari stated that he will officially assume his new role on July 1, joining the brand’s core management team and reporting directly to CEO Benedetto Vigna.
Ferrari noted that Di Silvestre brings over two decades of international experience in the premium luxury automotive sector, with expertise in corporate transformation and market expansion. He joined BMW in 2012, and under his leadership, BMW secured a top position in the Italian luxury car market in both 2024 and 2025.
Galliera, one of Ferrari’s key executives, served the company for more than 16 years, helping to continuously enhance the luxury brand’s global influence. Ferrari’s announcement stated that Galliera “has decided to embark on a new phase of his career, an idea he has discussed with the company for some time.”
Ferrari CEO Vigna remarked: “I sincerely thank Galliera for his outstanding contributions to Ferrari over the years. He has played a pivotal role in building the brand’s global presence.”
Reuters, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported that Ferrari and Galliera had reached an agreement on his departure earlier this year, with both parties agreeing that he would remain until the launch of the key electric model, the Luce, was completed.
Ferrari officially unveiled the five-seat all-electric Luce at the end of last month, which immediately drew a wave of criticism, particularly on social media. On one hand, the new car’s design deviates from Ferrari’s traditionally bold and aggressive classic sports car styling; on the other, many enthusiasts expressed dissatisfaction with the brand’s shift away from traditional combustion engines.
However, a few days after the launch, Vigna stated that inquiries about the electric vehicle had been very strong from both new and existing customers. Since then, Ferrari has not disclosed further order data for the Luce, with the company officially stating that precise order figures will be released when it reports its second-quarter earnings at the end of July.
