Hubert

"At a certain point during lunch, De Bortoli on Corriere reports, Del Vecchio asks Hubert who will take over after the first three years of transition. "Me," the Frenchman replies sharply. Del Vecchio's eyes pop out, this is just not right. "I was dumbfounded," recalls the number one of Luxottica, "but I continued to converse as if nothing had happened. We bid each other farewell cordially." Del Vecchio is very kind, Hubert believes he has closed a deal and found an agreement."

"The differences between the two corporate cultures and the two groups of managers become increasingly pronounced. Hubert accuses Leonardo of wanting to take "de facto" control of the group, Leonardo says the French make strategic decisions without informing their Italian colleagues."

""Essilor and Delfin," the holding company of the Del Vecchio family, "create a global and integrated player in the eyewear industry with the combination of Essilor and Luxottica," reads the press release with an attached photograph of Hubert and Leonardo shaking hands, smiling and seemingly happy."

"The proud Hubert is the main architect of the transformation of the French company into a global leader. He guides its international expansion, focusing on growth in Asia."