Biography of Carlo De Benedetti
Invest and control
November 14, 1934The well-known Italian entrepreneur Carlo De Benedetti was born in Turin on November 14, 1934. Completed her studies at the Polytechnic of Turin, where he graduated in electrical engineering in 1958. His business career began in 1959 at the family business, the Italian company metal hoses, which transforms the Gilardini referred is President and Chief Executive Officer from 1972 to 1976. In 1976 he founded CIR (Compagnie Industriali Riunite), turning a small tannery in one of the most important Italian private holding company; CIR, with more than 10 thousand employees, is listed on the Milan Stock Exchange. For almost twenty years the engineer De Benedetti is Vice President and Managing Director of CIR.
In 1995 he became President. In 1976 De Benedetti had also given birth to COFIDE (Compagnia Finanziaria De Benedetti). Vice President and Managing Director of Olivetti from 1978 to 1983, he was President and Ceo of the same company from 1983 to 1996 and Honorary President from 1996 to June 1999. Among the most important activities of the Group CIR-COFIDE there is gruppo editoriale L'Espresso, leader in Italy in the media sector. The parent company (Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso SpA) publishes the national daily newspaper la Repubblica and the weekly magazine L'Espresso.
Through its subsidiaries is also editor of 16 local newspapers, three national radio stations, has a significant presence in the Internet industry and collects advertising for publications of the group as well as some third party publishers. With about 3,000 employees and about 6 million daily readers, is one of the most important Italian newspapers publishers, second only to RCS (with Corriere della Sera and Gazzetta dello Sport). Sogefi, founded by Carlo De Benedetti, and he continuously for more than 25 years, has presided over one of the largest international groups operating on the world stage in Dynamics. With annual sales exceeding one billion Euros and with 6,300 employees, Sogefi focuses on two areas of activity: filters and elastic components for suspensions.
From April 19, 2005 Rodolfo De Benedetti took over as Chairman, while Carlo De Benedetti was appointed Honorary Chairman. In 1995 he founded Omnitel, the second European mobile phone company that represents the largest value creation in Italy after the second world war and the second fixed phone operator Infostrada Italy. In December 1998 gave birth, in memory of his father, the Fondazione Rodolfo De Benedetti, of which he is President. The Foundation is concerned with the study of issues related to the reform of the welfare state. He was appointed Cavaliere del Lavoro in 1983 and the Légion d'honneur Officer in 1987. He also received an honorary degree in 1986 in law of Wesleyan University, Middleton, Connecticut (USA). Born in 1999 as a joint-venture between CIR-which owns the majority-and Austria's Verbund, the Working Party on energy is the third operator of the new free market for electricity and gas in Italy. Energy is one of the few private operators with own power plants and is currently engaged in the construction of new plants and in adapting existing structures to the highest technological standards, with the aim of reconciling plant efficiency and respect for the environment.
President of energy is Rodolfo De Benedetti, Chief Executive of CIR and COFIDE. Carlo De Benedetti is a Director of Valeo, Pirelli and Banca Intermobiliare; is Vice President of the European Roundtable of Industrialists (Brussels), Member of the European Advisory Committee of the New York Stock Exchange, the International Council of CSIS? Center for Strategic & International Studies (Washington), of the International Advisory Council of CITIC--China International Trust and Investment Corporation (China), of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (Stockholm), the Italian Council of INSEAD? The European Institute of Business Administration (Fontainebleau). In March 2000 he founded "CDB Web Tech", a company listed on the new market of the stock exchange in Milan. CDB Web Tech specializes in investments, including through funds, such high-tech activities, biotech, nanotech and the Internet. Carlo De Benedetti is Chairman and controlling shareholder.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.