Gucci Group today said Valerie Hermann will be leaving Christian Dior to be the new chief executive of the Yves Saint Laurent brand. Hermann, who will start at YSL in the second quarter of 2005, has headed women's ready-to-wear at Dior since 1999.

She replaces James McArthur, an executive vice president of Gucci Group who has been filling the YSL position during the recruitment of a new chief executive. McArthur has been the interim chief executive since October, when Mark Lee left YSL to head up the group's star Gucci brand.

The YSL post was the last major hole in Gucci Group's new management team, following the departure of many top executives after Ford and CEO Domenico De Sole left the company.

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