Giovanni Agnelli ( Italian: Giovanni Agnelli ), better known as Gianni Agnelli ( Italian: Gianni Agnelli ) ( March 12, 1921 , Turin - January 24, 2003 , ibid.) - Italian entrepreneur, chief shareholder and CEO of FIAT .
| Gianni Agnelli | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth name | Giovanni Agnelli | ||||||
| Date of Birth | March 12, 1921 | ||||||
| Place of Birth | Turin , Italy | ||||||
| Date of death | January 24, 2003 (81 years old) | ||||||
| Place of death | Turin , Italy | ||||||
| Citizenship |  Italy | ||||||
| Occupation | , , , , | ||||||
| Father | Edoardo Agnelli ( 1892 - 1935 ) | ||||||
| Mother | Virginia Bourbon ( 1899 - 1945 ) | ||||||
| Spouse | Marella Caracollo di Castagneto ( 1927 - 2019 ) | ||||||
| Children | Edoardo Agnelli ( 1954 - 2000 ), Margarita Agnelli ( 1955 ) | ||||||
| Awards and prizes |
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| Site | |||||||
Biography
The son of Edoardo Agnelli and Virginia Bourbon del Monte (1899-1945, it. ). [1] On July 14, 1935, Gianni's father, Edoardo Agnelli crashed on his father's seaplane. [2] The death of the second child (daughter Aniceta Agnelli died in 1928) and his only son was a heavy blow for Giovanni Agnelli the elder. Now his grandchildren occupied his life, and he paid special attention to Gianni, named after him. At age 14, Gianni was introduced by his grandfather to the board of directors of Juventus .
Youth
He graduated from the classical lyceum named after Massimo Azello in Turin in 1938. Then he entered the University of Turin , where he studied law. In June 1940, interrupting his studies, he went to the front. He was enrolled in the tank regiment. Initially participated in the battles, along with the troops of Mussolini , was twice on the Russian front , and later was transferred to Africa.
In 1941 he returned home and continued his studies, in 1943 he received a diploma. September 8, when Italy signed a ceasefire and officially withdrew from World War II , Gianni was in a hospital in Florence with a broken leg in a car accident. After recovering, he moved to Rome , where he became a liaison officer of the Italian Liberation Corps . On November 30, 1945, in a car accident near Pisa , Gianni's mother, Virginia Bourbon del Monte, died. In the same year, Gianni became president of RIV ( it. ) - a company for the production of bearings , created by his grandfather together with engineer Roberto Incherti .
After the death of Giovanni Agnelli Sr., December 16, 1945, becomes the head of the family. She represents her interests in negotiations with the Italian National Liberation Committee regarding the FIAT and on February 23, 1946 signs an agreement on the return of the board and president of the company Vittorio Valletta ( it. ), Accused of collaborating with the Nazis.
Before FIAT
In 1947, Gianni became president of Juventus . Together with him, the team wins two scudetto , twice the team takes the second place and twice the third. Players such as John Hansen , Martino and Prast appear in the roster , and Giampiero Boniperti shines.
Gianni travels a lot around the world and communicates with famous people (friends with John F. Kennedy ). He is credited with romance novels with Rita Hayworth , Daniel Darje , Anita Ekberg and other equally famous ladies. The most serious relationship was with Pamella Digby , the ex-wife of Randolph Churchill (son of Winston Churchill , British Prime Minister). They lasted about 5 years, but in 1952, after a serious quarrel, the couple broke up. Then he gets into a serious car accident. During the Turin - Monaco rally, his car crashed into a truck. Gianni seriously damaged his right leg, which had previously been broken. Doctors managed to save her from amputation, and later he could even ski (which he did before 1987), but limp remained for life.
On November 19, 1953, in the castle of Ostoffen ( French ), in Strasbourg, the wedding of Giovanni Agnelli and Marella Caracollo di Castagneto ( it. ) The Neapolitan princess, born in Florence on May 4, 1927, repeatedly appeared on the pages of glossy magazines [3] , and even appeared in one of Andy Warhol 's works [4] . In 1954, they born the first-born Edwardo, and a year later Margarita .
In 1959 he became president of IFI (now Exor ), and in 1963 - managing director of Fiat . In those same years, he acquired the luxurious villa of Leopold on the Cote d'Azur .
FIAT
July 30, 1966 Vittorio Valletta ceded Fiat President Gianni Agnelli. One of the first goals was the issue of privatization of the company, which Gianni took up, and in the same year Fiat again became part of the Agnelli family. Also, Gianni paid special attention to the automation process in the company's factories.
On August 15, 1966 in Moscow, Gianni Agnelli signed a contract with the Minister of Automotive Industry of the USSR Alexander Tarasov to create a car factory in the city of Togliatti with a full production cycle - the current Volga Automobile Plant , and in 1970 he visited the construction site.
Internationalization
Gianni dreamed of the internationalization of Fiat . Two years after being elected president, he negotiates with Francois Michelin , owner of Citroën , to acquire a block of shares, with a subsequent increase to a controlling block. This contract looks promising: Citroën is a prestigious brand with a good reputation in the manufacture of high-end cars. But the French authorities, represented by the President of the French Republic, Charles de Gaulle, forbid Fiat to acquire a controlling stake in Citroën . As a result, Fiat can only invest in modernization and production. Four years later, Fiat resells its stake in Peugeot .
The financial crisis
In the first half of the 1970s, a financial crisis hit the company. The reason was the constant strikes of trade unions , the oil crisis , and also gradually Italian cars began to push Japanese and French automakers from the market. Gradually, the company's shares fell, preparing it for a financial collapse. A certain role in improving the position of the company was played by its cooperation with the USSR. Soon, the Libyan Jamahiriya government, led by Colonel Gaddafi, announced the acquisition of a significant share of the concern. The news of this instantly inflated the value of Fiat shares several times.
Then, along with Cesare Romiti , Gianni conducts a restructuring of Fiat . Now, instead of an industrial company, Fiat is a holding company . This process lasted about 5 years, and during this time there appeared: Fiat-Allis [5] , the agricultural machinery division, Iveco , the industrial vehicle division, the earthmoving division, Teksid [6] , as well as the passenger compartment and commercial vehicles - Fiat Auto.
Gradually, financial problems left the company, and by the end of the 1980s, cars sold abroad accounted for more than 60% of the turnover. This was helped by the success of the latest models: Fiat Uno , and then Lancia Thema .
Not Only Fiat
Juventus
Despite the fact that Fiat demanded constant attention from Gianni, he did not cease to pay attention to his beloved club. It was he, together with Giampiero Boniperti , who created the team that won the European Cup 1984/1985 , when Michel Platini and Dino Zoff shone in the team.
In the late 1980s, after Silvio Berlusconi 's purchase of Milan , Gianni outlined a grand restructuring of the team, and spent about 48 million lire on it (a huge amount for that time). Luca Cordero di Montezemolo was appointed President, and Giovanni Trappatoni was appointed new coach.
Gianni introduced the latest changes in the 1990s. The club was led by a triad: Moji - Giraudo - Bettega . And Marcello Lippi was appointed the new coach.
Formula 1
In the late 60s, one of the most famous car manufacturers in Italy - Ferrari had serious financial problems. The owner and founder of the company Enzo Ferrari put at the head of his interests - Formula 1 . Enzo tried to sell the company, leaving behind a team. To do this, he even met with Henry Ford , but the American wanted to completely own Ferrari and planned to disband the Formula 1 team. Gianni Agnelli found out about the negotiations, and also became interested in the deal. Two great Italians found a common language. Enzo sold Agnelli a 40% stake, subject to a transfer of another 50% after death. When Enzo Ferrari was gone, the head of the team was Luca di Montezemolo .
In honor of Gianni, after his death, the Formula 1 car was named in 2003 - Ferrari F2003
Government Institutions
In 1961, during the celebration of the centenary of the unification of Italy, he was appointed president of the International Exhibition.
In 1991, he was appointed lifetime senator [7] by President Francesco Cossiga .
Agnelli was admitted to the IOC in 2000, and remained there until his death. As you know, Gianni was well acquainted with Juan Antonio Samaranch , and the 2006 Olympics was held in Turin , largely thanks to him.
On February 28, 2001, the name of Fiat Honorary President Giovanni Agnelli was immortalized on the wall of the European Hall of Automobile Glory in the Palexpo Exhibition Palace.
In 2002, Gianni presented Turin with an art gallery , whose collections included 25 masterpieces. This opening day was his last public appearance.
Death
On January 24, 2003, Gianni Agnelli died in his villa Frescòt, from prostate cancer . Farewell took place in Turin Cathedral , and was broadcast throughout Italy by RAI Uno .
Gianni is buried in the family crypt of the estate of Villars Perosa , in the vicinity of Turin .
Notes
- ↑ Carlo Bourbon del Monte, Prince of San Faustino, and his children
- ↑ Filippo Ceccarelli. Article in Italian "Dalla morte del nonno Edoardo, ucciso dall'elica di un idrovolante, alla scomparsa di Giovanni Alberto. Quando il destino bussa troppo presto" . La Stampa - Archivio storico (November 16, 2000). Archived on April 25, 2012.
- ↑ Richard Avedon . Marella Agnelli . Vogue ( 1953 ). Archived on April 25, 2012.
- ↑ Jablonka Galerie's website by Marella Agelia - by Andy Warhol Archived September 29, 2007.
- ↑ Fiat-Allis Engineering Company, formed in 1974 as a joint venture between Italian Fiat and American Allis-Chalmers . Fiat Allis is currently part of New Holland Ag .
- ↑ International company. Areas of activity: steel, foundries, equipment and production of springs, pipes, refractories for industrial use. Today, Teksid has 7 factories in the world: four in Europe, 1 in South America, one in Central America and one in China. The cash flow is about $ 900 million and about 7,000 employees.
- ↑ [1] Profile of Senator Agnelli on the Senet website (Ital.)
Links
- Gianni Agnelli (inaccessible link) - Press Portrait Yandex
- Gianni Agnelli - Peoples.ru
- Gianni Agnelli - Persons of Formula 1