Ferrari’s 16-Year Marketing Chief Stepped Down—But Was It Really His Choice?

Ferrari’s "Dr. No"—long-time marketing chief Enrico Galliera, has officially stepped down as the brand grapples with the Luce EV backlash. (Photo: Harold Cunningham/AFP via Getty Images)

He’s the man who held the keys to the most exclusive club in the world. For 16 years, Enrico Galliera was the "Dr. No" of Ferrari, the gatekeeper who famously blacklisted global icons like Justin Bieber and Kim Kardashian for daring to disrespect the brand.

But apparently, even a 16-year legend isn't immune when the Prancing Horse hits a wall.

Barely weeks after walking away from BMW Italia, Massimiliano Di Silvestre has already secured a new throne: he’s heading to Maranello as Ferrari’s new marketing boss. 

Ferrari officially announced this week that Galliera is stepping down, effective July 1. He’s being replaced by Massimiliano Di Silvestre, a veteran straight out of BMW Italy. The official line? Galliera is just "starting a new chapter." But if you look at the calendar, the timing is impossible to ignore.

Just one month ago, Ferrari unveiled the Luce, the brand’s first-ever fully electric vehicle. And to say it went poorly would be the understatement of the century.

Read: "Please Don’t Buy This Car" — Why Ferrari Is Telling Its Hardcore Fans To Stay Away From Luce EV

"A Slipper"

Ferrari Luce EV

The internet didn't just dislike the Luce; it treated it like a crime. Designed by Jony Ive’s LoveFrom studio, the same team behind the iPhone, the car was meant to be a revolutionary "product design" approach to the supercar. Instead, it became a punchline.

Ferrari Luce EV

Critics and keyboard warriors have spent the last 30 days roasting the Luce, comparing it to a "cheap slipper". Even Ferrari royalty weighed in, with former chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo bluntly suggesting that the company should be ashamed to put the Prancing Horse logo on it.

The market didn't take it lightly either. The day after the reveal, Ferrari’s stock price plunged by 8%, wiping roughly four billion dollars USD (~RM19 billion) off the company’s market cap in just 48 hours.

The Scapegoat in the Room?

While Ferrari maintains that Galliera’s departure was "planned some time ago," the optics are disastrous. In the high-stakes world of luxury supercars, you don't just "coincidentally" lose your Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer one month after the most polarising, stock-crushing product launch in your history.

Galliera was the architect of Ferrari's record-breaking profitability. He understood the "Ferrari DNA" better than perhaps anyone in the building. By replacing him with a volume-brand executive from BMW, the message is clear: Ferrari is in full-blown crisis mode, and they’re looking for a scapegoat to take the fall for the "Luce" disaster.

Is Ferrari just scrambling to fix a brand identity crisis that no amount of marketing can solve? 

Read: RM5.7 Million For A Car?! 5 Insane Things Hidden Inside The New Ferrari 849 Testarossa

Read: "Please Don’t Buy This Car" — Why Ferrari Is Telling Its Hardcore Fans To Stay Away From Luce EV