Yanina Novitskaya has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Belgian luxury leather goods house Delvaux, with her appointment taking effect on 1 December 2026.
Novitskaya will be based at Delvaux’s headquarters in Brussels and will report to Philippe Fortunato, Chief Executive Officer of Richemont’s Fashion & Accessories Maisons. She succeeds Jean-Marc Loubier, who will leave the company at the end of the year following a handover period.
The appointment brings almost two decades of luxury industry experience to Delvaux. Novitskaya spent 19 years at Cartier, where she held a range of roles before becoming CEO of Cartier South East Asia & Oceania.
Her career at Cartier included experience across design and merchandising, retail management and regional leadership. In 2018, she became the first woman to serve as Managing Director of Cartier Russia, Ukraine and the Commonwealth of Independent States, according to her professional biography published by UNIDO.
Novitskaya is a graduate of Moscow State University of Design and Technologies and also holds a degree from the International Academy of Business and Design.
Speaking about her new role, Novitskaya said she was delighted to join Delvaux, describing the maison as having a distinctive heritage, savoir-faire and creative identity.
Philippe Fortunato said Novitskaya’s knowledge of the luxury industry would support Delvaux’s positioning, product desirability and international growth. He also thanked outgoing CEO Jean-Marc Loubier for his role in transforming Delvaux into a global luxury maison while maintaining its focus on craftsmanship.
A Historic Belgian Luxury House
Founded in Brussels in 1829, Delvaux describes itself as the world’s oldest fine leather goods house. The company has continued designing and producing leather goods through its workshops since its founding.
The maison has a particularly long history of innovation in handbags. In 1908, Delvaux filed a patent for its “Princesse” leather handbag, which the company describes as the world’s first leather handbag patent. Its archive contains more than 3,000 designs, while its best-known creations include the Brillant, introduced in 1958, the Tempête, the Pin, the Cool Box and the Lingot.
Delvaux also has a longstanding connection with the Belgian royal court and has been an official purveyor since 1883.
Today, the maison has 50 boutiques worldwide, with locations including Paris, London, New York, Milan, Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing. Its leather goods continue to be produced in ateliers in Belgium and France.
From Cartier to Delvaux
Novitskaya’s move comes after a long career within Richemont’s luxury portfolio.
Her experience at Cartier has included leadership across several markets, giving her exposure to different customer groups and luxury retail environments. Her most recent position as CEO of Cartier South East Asia & Oceania placed her at the helm of one of the group’s key international regions.
Her appointment also comes as Delvaux continues to build its international presence following a period of expansion under Loubier.
Industry reports have highlighted the scale of Delvaux’s international development during Loubier’s tenure, including the opening of major stores in New York, London and Milan and expansion across Asian markets.
Novitskaya will now take responsibility for the next stage of that development, with Richemont identifying international growth and strengthening Delvaux’s positioning among her priorities.
For Novitskaya, the move marks a new chapter after nearly two decades with Cartier. For Delvaux, it brings a leader with extensive luxury, retail and international market experience to a maison built around craftsmanship, heritage and distinctive design.
