LVMH Appoints Ian Rogers From Apple

PARIS—LVMH Moë t Hennessy Louis Vuitton has recruited a key executive from Apple Inc. to spearhead the expansion of the luxury goods giant's online retailing presence.

Ian Rogers, who is credited with creating Apple's online radio station Beats 1, will serve as LVMH's chief digital officer, the company said Tuesday. Mr. Rogers's departure from Apple has come as a surprise. He had joined the company a year ago as part of the company's $3.2 billion acquisition of Beats.

"Ian will bring his extensive experience in high-end digital ventures and his innovation-driven spirit to develop LVMH leadership in the digital luxury field," said Bernard Arnault, the luxury conglomerate's chairman and chief executive.

Luxury houses have been slow to tap into the boom in online retail sales. Few luxury fashion houses operate full e-commerce sites, with a complete array of products and round-the-world shipping. Some luxury executives say they are hesitant about selling online because they can't replicate the in-store experience. Others contend that the price transparency that comes with selling online is anathema to the sector.

But luxury consumers are now buying online as much for convenience as for price, and many are opting to purchase via department stories websites rather than via the fashion houses themselves.

Sam Schechner contributed to this article.

Write to Stacy Meichtry at [e-mail]

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 01, 2015 08:25 ET (12:25 GMT)

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