Birks Group CEO Confirmed After 14 Months of Interim Leadership
Birks Group confirmed Davide Barberis Canonico as CEO after 14 months of interim leadership. Its annual report shows the supplier, lease and debt files now on his desk.
The new Birks Group CEO is Davide Barberis Canonico. The Montreal jeweller confirmed him as President and Chief Executive Officer effective October 30, 2026, after 14 months of interim leadership. Niccolò Rossi di Montelera remains Executive Chairman.
When Jean-Christophe Bédos left in August 2025, Birks promised an executive search “in due course.” A director took over daily operations that same week. On November 2, 2026, the company gave him the permanent title. The search ended in the boardroom where it started.
Who is the new Birks Group CEO?
Barberis Canonico joined the Birks board in 2013 and sat on its audit and compensation committees as an independent director. The company describes him as a former chief executive of several businesses.
The annual report adds a detail the announcement leaves out. In July 2025, five weeks before his interim appointment, he signed a letter making up to $800,000 available to Birks as a loan. Few incoming chief executives arrive with their own money already pledged to the company.
His chairman credited him with “strong leadership, unwavering commitment, and a deep understanding of our business.” Rossi di Montelera also pointed to closer ties with international brand partners, a remark that matters more once the supplier figures are on the table.
What did Birks report for the year he ran operations?
Fiscal 2026 ended on March 28, 2026, and he managed about seven of its twelve months. Canadian Jeweller reported the full-year results in July. The lines below are the ones that compare across stores of any size.
| Measure | Fiscal 2025 | Fiscal 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Net sales | $177.8 million | $205.4 million |
| Gross margin | 37.3% | 38.5% |
| Selling, general and administrative costs, share of sales | 33.5% | 33.4% |
| Operating result | $5.5 million loss | $3.1 million profit |
| Interest and financing costs | $9.7 million | $8.8 million |
| Net loss | $12.8 million | $3.4 million |
All figures are in Canadian dollars. Comparable store sales rose 2.6 per cent, led by Birks branded jewellery. However, the company credits most of the margin gain to a weaker U.S. dollar. First-half fiscal 2027 results were not yet public when this story was filed.
What decisions are waiting on his desk?
The first is supplier concentration. One luxury watch brand supplied about 22 per cent of net sales last year, down from 29 per cent. A watch brand also left one Birks store during the year. Because these agreements renew annually and the manufacturer can end them early, brand relationships are a revenue line.
The second is real estate. Seven store leases come up for renewal within two years, and those stores produce 15.2 per cent of sales. Birks has also set aside about $4.0 million for remodelling, although that spending is not yet fully committed.
Time is on his side with lenders. The June refinancing with Gordon Brothers moved the main debt maturities to 2031, so the gap between operating profit and interest can close from the store side.
What does a permanent CEO mean for Canadian suppliers and stores?
An interim executive approves this season, while a confirmed one can commit to next year. Birks grew its third-party branded jewellery sales in fiscal 2026 across 32 locations. As a result, a vendor whose proposal stalled during the search now has a named decision-maker to call.
Store owners gain something too. Birks is one of the very few Canadian jewellers that publish audited numbers, which turns the table above into a free benchmark. The filing even gives staffing: 212 retail employees.
Canadian data for jewellery alone is unavailable month to month. Statistics Canada groups jewellery with luggage and leather goods, and that category swung from an 11.8 per cent gain in October 2025 to a 4.0 per cent drop in February 2026. For that reason, a single company’s filing is the sharper yardstick.
The Monday-morning file
- Work out what share of sales the largest brand in the showcase represents, then read the renewal and termination terms in that agreement.
- Divide last year’s interest costs by operating profit. The result shows how much of the store’s effort goes to lenders first.
- List each lease by renewal date and open landlord talks 18 to 24 months ahead.
This article is general information for the trade. It is not investment advice.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Birks Group CEO?
Davide Barberis Canonico has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Birks Group Inc. since October 30, 2026. He was Interim President and Chief Operating Officer from August 2025.
Who controls Birks Group?
The Grande Rousse Trust controls about 69.3 per cent of the voting shares through two holding companies, Montel and Mangrove. Niccolò Rossi di Montelera has been Executive Chairman since January 2017.
How many stores does Birks Group operate?
Birks Group operates 32 locations in Canada. They include 17 Maison Birks stores, four European Boutique stores in the Greater Toronto Area, and boutiques for Patek Philippe, Chaumet, Breitling, Omega and Montblanc.
Where do Birks Group shares trade?
The Class A voting shares trade on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol BGICF. Birks voluntarily left the NYSE American in August 2026 and still files with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Is Birks Group a Canadian company?
Yes. Henry Birks founded the business in Montreal in 1879, the head office is still in Montreal, and substantially all of its sales are made in Canada.
Sources: Birks Group appointment release, November 2, 2026; Birks Group Form 20-F for fiscal 2026; Birks Group fiscal 2026 results; Birks Group leadership release, August 26, 2025; Statistics Canada, Retail trade, October 2025 and February 2026.
Author: Olivier Fel.
Olivier Felicio is the founder and publisher of Canadian Jeweller Magazine, Canada's jewellery business publication since 1879. He writes on retail strategy, market data, trade policy and the commercial side of the Canadian jewellery and watch trade, and hosts Time and Shine, Canada's jewellery buying event. Contact: olivier@canadianjeweller.com.
