Cesar Gueikian | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2 January 1977 |
| Nationality | Argentine-American |
| Education | University of San Andrés University of Chicago Booth School of Business |
| Occupation(s) | President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gibson, Inc. |
Cesar Gueikian is an Armenian-Argentine, naturalized American business executive and the current President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gibson, Inc., the American manufacturer of guitars and other musical instruments. He joined the company in 2018 and was confirmed as permanent CEO on July 10, 2023, after serving as interim CEO since May of that year, and Brand President prior. [1] [2] [3] [4]
Gueikian was born in Argentina to an Armenian family. [5] He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of San Andrés in Buenos Aires. [6] He later completed an MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, with a focus on analytical finance and economics. [7]
Before joining Gibson, Gueikian co-founded Melody Capital Partners, a private investment firm focused on corporate financing and restructuring. During his tenure, Melody grew from approximately $100 million to over $1.5 billion in assets under management. He also held senior positions in investment banking, including at UBS, where he led the Special Situations and Leveraged Finance Capital Markets groups, and earlier at Deutsche Bank. [8]
In November 2018, Gueikian joined Gibson as Chief Merchant Officer (CMO). Upon his arrival, he was involved in steering Gibson through a strategic shift that emphasized product innovation, brand revitalization, and media expansion. This included launching initiatives such as Gibson Labs, expanding into media with Gibson TV, and increasing direct-to-consumer engagement. [9] [10] [11]
In May 2023, he was appointed interim CEO; later, on July 10, 2023, the Board of Directors confirmed him as president and CEO. [12]
As CEO, Gueikian has been associated with initiatives to expand Gibson's collaborations with musicians, reintroduce legacy guitar models, and strengthen the company's sub-brands, including Epiphone and Kramer. [13] [14] He has also been noted for using social media platforms to communicate with customers and highlight upcoming releases. [15]
Gueikian is also a musician, guitarist and songwriter and performs an eclectic range of music genres. He has co-written and released music with artists including Slash and Duff McKagan of Guns N' Roses (‘I Can Breathe’), and with Serj Tankian of System of a Down, featuring Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath (‘Deconstruction’). [16] [17] [18] [19]