Massimo Gismondi: Clients come First
Gismondi was founded in 1754, a company that, from December 2019 has been listed on Borsa Italiana’s AIM Italy segment. Now it is also making its debut at Vicenzaoro January to initiate an ambitious development plan. Explains, Massimo Gismondi
18th December 2019. The Milan Stock Exchange bell rang at opening time and the Piazza Affari bulletin board displayed €3.20, with a free float of 38.50% at the time of listing for a capitalization of about 13 million Euros. Two hours later, the listing had reached €7.50. Some moments are destined to be remembered forever, and Massimo Gismondi will certainly never forget that morning... «It was a real event for my family. There were about a hundred guests - long- standing customers, friends and investors. The share closed its first day “on the market” ahead by 1.6% after having touched on +9%. A result that immediately launched us into the development plan devised with our stakeholders. 40% of the IPO is to be used to intensify the American market where we can already be found in Neiman Marcus department stores, and, as of 2020, in a series of Four Seasons Hotels. Another 40% will be implemented in Europe and the Middle East, and the remaining 20% will be put aside for staff training, both in outsourcing and insourcing. Our main focus will, in fact, be on customer relationship management since we aim to become an ever more significant reference point “at large”. The Gismondi family has arrived at the extraordinary milestone of the seventh consecutive generation and we can boast faithful customers that have been with us for decades. Their loyalty goes beyond the choice of a jewel, whether from a collection or one-of-a-kind: they often look to us as a lifestyle provider to create authentic Italian experiences on a personal basis. Experiences that can range from a stay in a particular location to hiring a car or a luxury yacht».
Tailor-made services that are particularly requested by a foreign public, especially since the locations chosen by the brand for its flagship stores mainly capture an international clientele... «Besides Genoa, our Italian boutiques can be found inside the Carlton Hotel Baglioni in Milan and the Splendido Belmond in Portofino, hotels whose guests are mainly foreign people traveling for business or leisure. This is also the reason why we have decided to take part for the first time at Vicenzaoro, the number one jewelry trade show in Italy and one of the most important in the Old World. This January edition therefore marks a debut for us and will help to launch our development plan on the national market. The prospective from here to the next three years is, in fact, to open 15 to 20 dealers in Italy, and the Vicenza show is useful for getting to know the right buyers and identify new “In-house” areas». Clear ideas in the Gismondi house, also in terms of how to change the perception of the product as a whole by allowing it to evolve towards an exclusive, made-to-measure item of jewelry, starting right from the entry price collection. «In wholesale, we intend to sell collections of less than one thousand Euros, collections that can be modified and personalized irrespective of the initial cost price». No small idea, considering that Gismondi 1754 now has clients that spend at least 10 thousand Euros.
Tailor-made services that are particularly requested by a foreign public, especially since the locations chosen by the brand for its flagship stores mainly capture an international clientele... «Besides Genoa, our Italian boutiques can be found inside the Carlton Hotel Baglioni in Milan and the Splendido Belmond in Portofino, hotels whose guests are mainly foreign people traveling for business or leisure. This is also the reason why we have decided to take part for the first time at Vicenzaoro, the number one jewelry trade show in Italy and one of the most important in the Old World. This January edition therefore marks a debut for us and will help to launch our development plan on the national market. The prospective from here to the next three years is, in fact, to open 15 to 20 dealers in Italy, and the Vicenza show is useful for getting to know the right buyers and identify new “In-house” areas». Clear ideas in the Gismondi house, also in terms of how to change the perception of the product as a whole by allowing it to evolve towards an exclusive, made-to-measure item of jewelry, starting right from the entry price collection. «In wholesale, we intend to sell collections of less than one thousand Euros, collections that can be modified and personalized irrespective of the initial cost price». No small idea, considering that Gismondi 1754 now has clients that spend at least 10 thousand Euros.
