ROME, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Francesco Trapani, the former

Bulgari CEO who led the Italian luxury brand for three decades

and orchestrated its sale to French conglomerate LVMH,

has died at the age of 68, a public relations agency

representing him said on Thursday.

Trapani "passed away peacefully" on Wednesday at home in

Rome, Barabino & Partners said in a statement.

A descendant of the Bulgari family, Trapani became CEO in

1984 and expanded the brand from jewellery into new categories -

including watches, fragrances, leather goods, and luxury

hospitality - while accelerating its international growth.

He took Bulgari public on the Italian stock exchange in July

1995, a status maintained until 2011 when the company became

part of LVMH. He left the company in 2014.

Trapani held senior roles at the Italian private equity

fund Clessidra, the activist hedge fund Bluebell Capital and

Partners, Tiffany, Tages Group, and VAM Investments.

(Wrtiting by Francesca Piscioneri, editing by Alvise Armellini

and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)