Gabriele Cusani Sodano has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Mr. Cusani Sodano currently serves as president and the chief commercial officer of Safilo North America, a leading eyewear manufacturer and distributor that produces high-quality frames and sunglasses under both in-house and licensed brands. In his leadership role, he is responsible for operations throughout the United States and Canada, overseeing nearly the entire portfolio of brands distributed under Safilo North America. His leadership encompasses all sales operations as he spearheads the North American team, which includes field representatives, W-2 employees, 1099 agents and key account managers.
Safilo North America operates across four primary distribution channels: independent opticians served by the field salesforce; retail partners such as department stores and online platforms like Amazon; large optical chains; and direct-to-consumer channels such as Carrera’s website. Together, these clusters collectively drive profitability for Safilo.
Mr. Cusani Sodano’s responsibilities at Safilo extend to finance, marketing, public relations, branding, product development and customer service. His daily routine begins at 6:30 a.m. with his review of sales and orders — a practice that sets the tone for each day. He emphasizes structured performance management through daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly reviews with channel leaders and functional heads. Throughout the week, he focuses on solving problems, preparing for upcoming quarters and years, enhancing one-on-one meetings with leaders and prioritizing customer engagement.
Under Mr. Cusani Sodano’s leadership, Safilo North America has experienced a significant turnaround in profitability despite facing significant challenges such as tariffs. Proud of guiding his team through this transformation, he attributes much of this success to fostering an environment where his team members are empowered to excel and enjoy their work. Approximately 80% of the current Safilo team were in place before his tenure but lacked the support needed to thrive. By inserting individuals in roles suited to their strengths and encouraging creative thinking, he has seen results that surpassed expectations.
Prior to reaching his ownership position, Mr. Cusani Sodano served as the senior head region north for France, Benelux and global key accounts at Safilo from 2022 to 2024. In this role, he managed operations across France, UK, Nordics and the Benelux region, including global key accounts. His responsibilities also included cross-country sales initiatives such as those on Amazon.
From 2019 to 2022, Mr. Cusani Sodano was the senior vice president of global key accounts and corporate strategy at Safilo, a position in which he developed strategies for managing major international clients while shaping corporate direction at a global level from Italy. Before that, he held the position of senior vice president of global sales operations and direct to consumer services, where he managed sales operations worldwide along with customer service functions, supply and demand planning, production planning and sourcing.
In 2017, Mr. Cusani Sodano was appointed brand VP at Safilo, where he was responsible for specific luxury brands. Initially developing global distribution strategies for these precise outlets, he then expanded his oversight to include the entire group’s portfolio and diversification strategies.
Before joining Safilo, Mr. Cusani Sodano worked at the global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company from 2012 to 2015 as a manager, where he gained valuable experience in strategic consulting, marketing and sales in Milan, Italy.
Earlier in his journey, Mr. Cusani Sodano held several roles at the luxury goods and jewelry brand TOD’S Group: Hogan Rebel manager from 2011 to 2012; sales and marketing manager of operations in Japan from 2010 to 2011; country manager of operations in India from 2008 to 2010; and travel retail business manager from 2004 to 2008. His tenure took him across the world to Milan, Hong Kong, Mumbai and Tokyo — experiences that significantly shaped both his professional growth and personal development.
Mr. Cusani Sodano’s academic background has been pivotal in his storied journey. He earned an Executive Master of Business Administration from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from Università Bocconi in Milan, Italy, graduating in 2004 after completing coursework in the same area.
Along with his education, Ms. Cusani Sodano credits his success to perseverance, professional ethics, building strong teams, ensuring people are matched with roles that suit their skills and always giving an extra 10% effort. Leadership is a quality he believes can be innate, but he also recognizes the importance of making thoughtful decisions when selecting candidates for roles that impact their lives.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Mr. Cusani Sodano is actively involved in civic-minded organizations — particularly those related to eyesight health such as Prevent Blindness programs. He also participates in initiatives that support vision care access for underserved communities both domestically and internationally. Furthermore, he has partnered with SeriousFun Children’s Network — founded by Paul Newman — which empowers children facing serious medical challenges by providing them with transformative camp experiences.
On a personal level, Mr. Cusani Sodano was born in Italy into a family deeply engaged in diverse fields such as politics, art, publishing, cinema and later olive oil production, which he proudly continues to support today. His mother played a significant role in encouraging him to study English, leading him to attend language school in Rome before enrolling in Italian school — a foundation that enabled him to travel abroad independently from a young age. Reflecting on his journey to this point, he feels incredibly fortunate to have a family that shares a lot of love and that his parents continue to enjoy good health.
Happily married and a proud father of two, Mr. Cusani Sodano cherishes spending time with his children who are 11 and 9 years old, respectively, as well as fishing, sightseeing, exploring nature and immersing himself in different cultures. Having lived in multiple countries — including Italy, France, India, Japan and now the United States — he values adaptability, resilience, adventure and connection with people wherever he goes. All of which would have not be possible without his beloved wife. While he is content with living in New York, he looks forward to opportunities that may arise within American global companies or potentially leading his own enterprise someday — always blending career ambitions with family happiness while embracing new challenges.
About Marquis Who’s Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America®, Marquis Who’s Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who’s Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who’s Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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