Baccarat has appointed Thais Roda as Chief Executive Officer for North America, effective 3 April 2026. She reports to Arnaud Gestin, Baccarat’s global chief revenue officer, and succeeds Adam Banfield, who held the position for nearly three years.
Roda brings a career built across interiors, fashion and luxury operations spanning more than two decades in senior leadership across the United States. She spent nearly 13 years at Liaigre Inc., the American arm of the French design and architecture studio, serving first as Chief Operating Officer before assuming the role of President and CEO for over 11 years. At Liaigre, she drove consistent revenue growth, improved profitability and streamlined operations across the U.S. market – a performance record that figured prominently in Baccarat’s decision to appoint her.
Before Liaigre, Roda spent six years heading U.S. business and finance operations for jeanswear firm Marithé + François Girbaud, and before that eight years as U.S. operations director at bridal specialist Pronovias. She holds an Executive MBA from Columbia Business School, completed in 2023, an Advanced Management Programme qualification from the same institution, and an undergraduate degree in economics from the Universitat de Barcelona. She is fluent in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Catalan.
In her new role, Roda will oversee Baccarat’s performance across retail and wholesale channels in the region, with responsibility for deepening client engagement and expanding brand visibility through partnerships and brand extensions. These include the Baccarat Hotel New York and the fragrance Baccarat Rouge 540, both considered cornerstones of the Maison’s lifestyle universe beyond its storied crystal collections.
North America is Baccarat’s second-largest market after Japan, with approximately 200 points of sale across the United States and Canada. The appointment carries strategic weight at a moment when the Maison is investing actively in the region: a renovation of its boutique at the Baccarat Hotel New York is planned for the summer of 2026 as part of a broader effort to reinforce its positioning in what remains a critical growth market.
Founded in 1764, Baccarat has expanded well beyond crystal into a broader lifestyle offering spanning hospitality, fragrance and design. In recent years the Maison has extended into fine dining, handing its Maison Baccarat in Paris to star chef Alain Ducasse. New Baccarat hotels in Rome and Florence are expected to open within the next 18 months, and real estate firm Aldar Group has announced plans for the Baccarat Residences in Abu Dhabi.
Laurence Nicolas, global CEO of Baccarat, said Roda brings extensive knowledge of the luxury and design industries combined with strong operational expertise and proven leadership, and that her appointment would help reinforce the brand’s positioning across the region. Nicolas added that Roda brings the discipline, vision and strategic clarity required to elevate Baccarat’s presence and reinforce the very best of French art de vivre that defines the Maison. Roda said she looks forward to working with the teams across the Americas to strengthen the brand’s presence and build on the strategic foundations that have shaped Baccarat’s standing as an enduring symbol of French luxury.
