Umberto Agnelli
Encyclopedia
Umberto Agnelli was an Italian
entrepreneur
and politician
. His brother was Gianni Agnelli
.
He served as a CEO
of Fiat
from 1970–1976 and senator
of the Italian Republic, from 1976 to 1979, and was the honorary chairman of the Juventus soccer team, the past president of the Italian Football Association and later chairman of Italian carmaker Fiat from early 2003 until his death from lung cancer
aged 69.
, Switzerland
, the youngest of seven children. His father Edoardo Agnelli died in an air crash when he was aged just one, and his mother perished in a car accident when he was 11. He was chairman of Juventus 1956–61, honorary chairman 1970–2004; chairman, Fiat France 1965–80; chief executive officer, Fiat SpA 1970–76, vice-president 1976–93, chairman, Fiat Auto 1980–90; member, International Advisory Board 1993–2004, chairman 2003–04. Though he was a senior executive in the family company, Fiat, he was sidelined from taking a leadership role by his brother Gianni
until the latter's death in 2003. He then took over the Fiat Group, which also controlled several Italian newspapers and publishers, and the Juventus football club, of which he had served as chairman. Umberto Agnelli was in the process of restoring Fiat's balance sheet after the company's balance sheet, market share, and share value were all in decline, when he suddenly died of lung cancer
after barely 18 months in control. Despite this, Forbes
magazine estimated he was the world's 68th richest man with an approximate net worth of US$
5.5 billion.
The third son Giovanni Alberto Agnelli was groomed to succeed at Fiat but died of cancer at the age of 33 in 1997. Giovanni was survived by his wife Avery Agnelli née Howe and a daughter Virginia Asia Agnelli.
Umberto and Antonella later divorced, and Umberto married Donna Allegra Caracciolo di Castagneto in 1974, who is the first cousin of his sister in law Marella Caracciolo di Castagneto. They had two children, a son named Andrea
born in 1975, and a daughter Anna born in 1977. Andrea then went on to his father's footsteps by becoming chairman of Juventus in 2010.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. His brother was Gianni Agnelli
Gianni Agnelli
Giovanni Agnelli , better known as Gianni Agnelli , was an Italian industrialist and principal shareholder of Fiat. As the head of Fiat, he controlled 4.4% of Italy's GDP, 3.1% of its industrial workforce, and 16.5% of its industrial investment in research...
.
He served as a CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
from 1970–1976 and senator
Italian Senate
The Senate of the Republic is the upper house of the Italian Parliament. It was established in its current form on 8 May 1948, but previously existed during the Kingdom of Italy as Senato del Regno , itself a continuation of the Senato Subalpino of Sardinia-Piedmont established on 8 May 1848...
of the Italian Republic, from 1976 to 1979, and was the honorary chairman of the Juventus soccer team, the past president of the Italian Football Association and later chairman of Italian carmaker Fiat from early 2003 until his death from lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
aged 69.
Business career
Agnelli was born in LausanneLausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, the youngest of seven children. His father Edoardo Agnelli died in an air crash when he was aged just one, and his mother perished in a car accident when he was 11. He was chairman of Juventus 1956–61, honorary chairman 1970–2004; chairman, Fiat France 1965–80; chief executive officer, Fiat SpA 1970–76, vice-president 1976–93, chairman, Fiat Auto 1980–90; member, International Advisory Board 1993–2004, chairman 2003–04. Though he was a senior executive in the family company, Fiat, he was sidelined from taking a leadership role by his brother Gianni
Gianni Agnelli
Giovanni Agnelli , better known as Gianni Agnelli , was an Italian industrialist and principal shareholder of Fiat. As the head of Fiat, he controlled 4.4% of Italy's GDP, 3.1% of its industrial workforce, and 16.5% of its industrial investment in research...
until the latter's death in 2003. He then took over the Fiat Group, which also controlled several Italian newspapers and publishers, and the Juventus football club, of which he had served as chairman. Umberto Agnelli was in the process of restoring Fiat's balance sheet after the company's balance sheet, market share, and share value were all in decline, when he suddenly died of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
after barely 18 months in control. Despite this, Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
magazine estimated he was the world's 68th richest man with an approximate net worth of US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
5.5 billion.
Personal life
He first married heiress Donna Antonella Bechi Piaggio in 1959, with whom he had three sons. The first, twin boys, died shortly after birth.The third son Giovanni Alberto Agnelli was groomed to succeed at Fiat but died of cancer at the age of 33 in 1997. Giovanni was survived by his wife Avery Agnelli née Howe and a daughter Virginia Asia Agnelli.
Umberto and Antonella later divorced, and Umberto married Donna Allegra Caracciolo di Castagneto in 1974, who is the first cousin of his sister in law Marella Caracciolo di Castagneto. They had two children, a son named Andrea
Andrea Agnelli
Andrea Agnelli is an Italian businessman and president of Italian football club Juventus F.C.. He is also a board member of FIAT and Exor.-Early life:...
born in 1975, and a daughter Anna born in 1977. Andrea then went on to his father's footsteps by becoming chairman of Juventus in 2010.