Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio blames Delfin's board for stalled bank talks

EssilorLuxottica SA

19/06/2026 19:01

    MILAN, June 19 (Reuters) - Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio on Friday blamed Delfin's board for a stall in negotiations with banks over financing that would have enabled him to become the largest investor in the family holding company.
Delfin is the top shareholder in Franco-Italian eyewear group EssilorLuxottica ESLX.PA.
Del Vecchio, 31, had offered to buy out the stakes of two siblings and fellow Delfin shareholders in a 10-billion-euro deal, a move that would have lifted his holding to 37.5%.
The heir of the late EssilorLuxottica founder, Leonardo Del Vecchio, said lenders had recently asked for additional guarantees and were "pressing for a greater commitment from Delfin", but the board was divided.
He made his comments in a letter to the website of online newspaper Quotidiano Nazionale, which he owns.
"At the next Delfin shareholders' meeting on June 30... I want to understand why the board's caution has emerged" he added.
Delfin's board is chaired by EssilorLuxottica CEO Francesco Milleri.

 (Reporting by Elisa Anzolin)
 ((elisa.anzolin@thomsonreuters.com; 0039 0266129692;))