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Italy

Euro star: Monica Mondardini and the secrets to effective management

December 21, 2016

Winning the Top Non-Family Director Award at this year’s European Families in Business Awards is just the latest in a series of accolades for Monica Mondardini. The trailblazing chief executive of CIR Group tells James Beech her philosophy for working with family businesses, the secrets to effective management and what Italy must do to reach sustainable economic growth

Winning the Top Non-Family Director Award at this year’s European Families in Business Awards is just the latest in a series of accolades for Monica Mondardini. The trailblazing chief executive of CIR Group tells James Beech her philosophy for working with family businesses, the secrets to effective management and what Italy must do to reach sustainable economic growth

Grape expectations: Investing in wine and vineyards

August 8, 2016

It’s difficult to resist the romance of owning a vineyard and producing your own vintage – who can? So as the number of wannabe international vineyard buyers soars, what tips can the experts suggest about buying into bordeaux or the mistakes not to make in napa?

Outside experience: How to train the next generation

February 12, 2016

Externship programmes, where next gens work for another business or manage a different unit of the family business, are a popular way to train the next generation for the future responsibilities of running the family enterprise. But what should next gens look for in an externship, what are the benefits and is there a danger that they won't return?

Mariella Bottiglieri must have always been destined to enter the shipping industry.

The daughter of fifth-generation Italian shipping magnate Giuseppe Bottiglieri, she was more likely to spend her childhood summers on board a tanker with her father than at the beach building sandcastles. She even has a tanker named after her.

Italian government back tracks on loyalty shares

February 12, 2015

A measure introduced by the Italian government to incentivise partial listing of family businesses and encourage long-term shareholdings has been amended after institutional investors raised concerns that it unfairly benefited controlling shareholders.

Last year the Matteo Renzi-led government allowed listed companies to introduce “loyalty shares”, which grant shareholders double voting rights if they hold stock for more than two years.

Indesit sale could be wake up call for Italy to support family businesses

July 17, 2014

Last week’s sale of kitchen appliance manufacturer Indesit, the latest in a long line of large Italian family businesses recently sold to foreigners, could be a wake up call for the government to make the country more business friendly, a family business academic says.

The Merloni family sold its controlling 60.4% stake in the company to US competitor Whirlpool for €758 million, bringing to an end four generations of family control. It was the largest producer of home appliances in Italy.

Second gen promoted to top post as Italy embraces gender diversity

April 16, 2014

Emma Marcegaglia, co-chief executive of her family's eponymous steel company, has been appointed chairwoman of Italy's largest state-owned company, following a shake up of state-owned firms by Italy's new centre-left government to try and change the country's masculine corporate culture.

Marcegaglia, 49, dubbed "Italy's iron lady" in the press, landed the role at energy group Eni.

Ottavio Missoni, founder of fashion family business, dies aged 92

May 9, 2013

Ottavio Missoni, who together with his wife founded the eponymous Italian fashion house famous for its geometrical patterns and colourful knitwear, has died aged 92.

Missoni, nicknamed Tai, was born in what is now Dubrovnik, in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the son of a sea captain and an Austrian countess. He was a student world athletics champion but when war broke out he found himself an infantryman, and was held a British prisoner of war for four years after fighting at El Alamein.

Family portrait: the Agnelli family

May 7, 2013

The Agnellis, the family behind Fiat, have built a reputation as one of Italy's greatest industrial dynasties. CampdenFB takes a look at the real people behind the famous names.

Creative destruction

April 16, 2013

Oscar Farinetti is one of Italy’s best-known entrepreneurs. His latest venture, a food retailer called Eataly, is among the world’s fastest-growing brands. Family has played a big role in his success.

The calling to be an entrepreneur came to me when I was young, at the age of just 20. I had an overriding desire to be an entrepreneur. At that time, in the late 1970s, I realised that the electronics industry was becoming increasingly important and I decided to start developing my activities in the sector.

Family business head Vittorio Missoni missing

January 7, 2013

Vittorio Missoni, the second-generation chief executive of Italian fashion house Missoni, has disappeared off the coast of Venezuela, after the airplane he was travelling on vanished.

The plane, which was carrying the family business heir, his wife Maurizia Castiglione, two friends of the couple and two crew members, was reported missing late on 4 January. A large-scale search involving over 385 military personnel, divers and volunteers began over the weekend and remains ongoing.