While fixing French carmaker Renault SA, Chief Executive Officer Luca de Meo pursued a hobby that would feed into his next job as CEO of Kering SA: A taste for the finer things in life, particularly Swiss watches.

French luxury group Kering announced Monday that it had appointed Luca de Meo, who helped drive automaker Renault out of crisis, its new chief executive as it tries to turn around the fortunes at its struggling flagship brand Gucci.

After impressing with his turnaround of French automaker Renault, Luca De Meo is widely expected to be named as the new boss of Gucci owner and luxury powerhouse Kering.

François-Henri Pinault is stepping back as CEO of Kering, hoping Luca de Meo can pull Gucci and Saint Laurent’s parent company out of a slump.

European shares made cautious gains on Monday, with Gucci -owner Kering leading the pack following a leadership change. The news helped to break a five-day losing streak as investors pivot from the conflict in the Middle East. The pan-European STOXX 600 ended 0.4 per cent higher amid the developments.

Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have shut down two stores at Saigon Square for selling fake Hermes, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci products priced from as little as $6, as part of a crackdown on counterfeit goods.