Giovanni Ferrero
Born (1964-09-21) 21 September 1964 (age 59)
Farigliano, Italy
EducationEuropean Schools
Alma materLebanon Valley College
OccupationBusinessman
Known forRichest person in Italy
TitleExecutive chairman, Ferrero SpA
SpousePaola Rossi
Children2
Parent(s)Michele Ferrero
Maria Franca Fissolo
RelativesPietro Ferrero (grandfather)
Pietro Ferrero Jr. (brother)

Giovanni Ferrero (Italian pronunciation: [dʒoˈvanni ferˈrɛːro]; born 21 September 1964) is an Italian businessman and writer. He assumed the leadership of the confectionery company Ferrero SpA after the death of his brother Pietro Ferrero in 2011. His personal fortune is estimated at $20.6 billion in 2018 according to Forbes,[1] and $34.7 billion in 2021,[2] making him the 28th richest in the world, and richest person in Italy.[3]

Early life

He was born in Farigliano, Italy, the son of Maria Franca Fissolo and Michele Ferrero, the owner of the multinational confectionery corporation Ferrero.

Education

In 1975, he moved to Brussels, Belgium, where he studied at the European Schools.[4] Then he moved to the US, where he studied marketing at Lebanon Valley College.[5][6]

Career

On completing his studies, he returned to Europe to work in the family company. In 1997 he became joint CEO of Ferrero together with his brother Pietro.[7]

In April 2011, after the death of his brother in a bicycling accident in South Africa, he became the sole CEO of Ferrero Group. His father, Michele Ferrero, remained as executive chairman.[7][8]

Michele Ferrero died in 2015,[9] leaving the company solely in Giovanni's hands.

American business magazine Forbes reported that Giovanni Ferrero then took over the role of executive chairman in 2015, and held both the titles of CEO and executive chairman for two years until he hired Lapo Civiletti to take over the company's CEO position in 2017.[10]

Publications

  • "Marketing progetto 2000. La gestione della complessità", 1990
  • "Stelle di tenebra", Mondadori 1999[4]
  • "Campo Paradiso", Rizzoli 2007
  • "Il canto delle farfalle", Rizzoli 2010

Personal life

Ferrero is married to Paola Rossi.[11] They have two sons.

References

  1. ^ "Classement Forbes : qui sont ces quatre milliardaires qui vivent en Belgique ?". Forbes.
  2. ^ "Classement Forbes : qui sont ces quatre milliardaires qui vivent en Belgique ?". La Libre.
  3. ^ "Bloomberg Billionaires Index: Giovanni Ferrero". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  4. ^ a b "Archivio Corriere della Sera". Archiviostorico.corriere.it. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  5. ^ "International Entrepreneur Giovanni Ferrero To be Honored at NIAF Gala in Washington, D.C. - The National Italian American Foundation". Niaf.org. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  6. ^ "Giovanni Ferrero, laurea ad honorem all'Università di Parma". Parmadaily.it. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  7. ^ a b "Morto in Sudafrica Pietro Ferrero, ad del gruppo della Nutella - Corriere della Sera". Corriere.it. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  8. ^ John Hooper. "Ferrero unwrapped: Italy's secretive confectioner opens its doors | Business". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  9. ^ Stout, Hilary (2015-02-16). "Michele Ferrero, Tycoon Who Gave the World Nutella, Dies at 89 (Published 2015)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  10. ^ "Giovanni Ferrero". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
  11. ^ "Cattedrale gremita per la Messa in memoria di Michele Ferrero - Gazzetta d'Alba - Dal 1882 il settimanale di Alba, Langhe e Roero". Gazzettadalba.it. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  • "Storia". Ferrero.it. Retrieved 2016-05-19.