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.

The Italian is set to leave Renault next month to become boss of Kering, the struggling owner of Gucci and Saint Laurent, from mid-September. While de Meo has spent his entire career in the car industry, he has been making discreet overtures to the luxury industry for some time, according to two people with knowledge of the situation.

(Reuters) -Gucci owner Kering is planning to appoint Luca de Meo, currently CEO of French carmaker Renault, as its new chief executive, according to a report in newspaper Le Figaro. Below are some facts about the potential new head of the French luxury group, whose brands include Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Bottega Veneta.