Giovanni Alberto Agnelli

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Not to be confused with his great-grandfather, Giovanni Agnelli.
Giovanni Alberto Agnelli
Born(1964-04-19)April 19, 1964
Milan, Italy
DiedDecember 13, 1997(1997-12-13) (aged 33)
Turin, Italy
EducationThe McCallie School
Alma materBrown University
Spouse(s)Frances Avery Howe
Parent(s)
RelativesGianni Agnelli (uncle)

Giovanni "Giovannino" Alberto Agnelli (April 19, 1964 – December 13, 1997) was an Italian businessman and member of the Agnelli family, an Italian industrial dynasty associated with Fiat. Agnelli's father was politician and industrialist Umberto Agnelli; his uncle was Fiat head Gianni Agnelli. Prior to his 1997 death at age 33, Giovanni was the heir apparent and designated future chairman of the Fiat group.[1][2] According to the New York Times, his reputation among the Italian public was comparable to that of John F. Kennedy Jr. in the United States: "rich, strikingly handsome, always smiling and the leading voice of his generation."[1]

Biography[]

Early life and career[]

Giovanni Alberto Agnelli was born on April 19, 1964, in Milan, Italy to Umberto Agnelli and  [it]. Both sides of his family were associated with the motor vehicle industry; Giovanni Alberto's paternal great–grandfather was Giovanni Agnelli, founder of Fiat while his mother's stepfather was Enrico Piaggio, son of Piaggio founder Rinaldo Piaggio.

Umberto Agnelli and  [it], Giovanni Alberto's parents

Agnelli's parents divorced in 1974;[3] the young Giovanni followed his mother to the United States where he attended The McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee.[4] Agnelli enrolled at Brown University as a member of the class of 1986 where he studied international relations.[5] According to The Independent, Agnelli was often tipped as "Europe's most eligible bachelor" though in reality had "little interest in the playboy lifestyle."[4]

Agnelli joined Piaggio in 1987. In 1993 Agnelli became president of the company, which he successfully turned around and built into a European market leader.[1][6] In the summer of 1995, Gianni Agnelli officially announced Giovanni's selection as designated future chairman of Fiat.[4] In the role, Agnelli distanced himself from his family and Italy's business establishment, calling for generational change, advocating for more competition from international investment banks in corporate finance, and pushing for increased transparency in Italian capitalism. In an interview with the New York Times, Agnelli stated "because of my education I am more Anglo-Saxon and that means I would like to see the financial markets ruling more and public company models ruled by the forces of the market."[7]

Personal life and death[]

In 1996, Agnelli married Frances Avery Howe, an architect who Agnelli met when they were both students at Brown University.[8] The couple gave birth to a child in September 1997; by this time, Agnelli was already experiencing advanced illness from a rare form of stomach cancer.[4] Agnelli died in Turin on December 13, 1997.[6] According to an obituary, Agnelli's death was a "setback for millions of Italians who saw him as a symbol of generational change, as a spokesman for the need to reform Italy's clubby and oligarchic system of capitalism and as an ardent supporter of political reforms."[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d Friedman, Alan; Tribune, International Herald (1997-12-15). "OBITUARY : Giovanni Agnelli, Fiat Heir, 33, Dies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  2. ^ Kline, Maureen (1997-12-15). "Agnelli Heir Dies, Leaving Issue Of Choosing a Successor at Fiat". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  3. ^ Ambrosio, Emanuele (2019-11-12). "Antonella Bechi Piaggio, figlia adottiva Enrico Piaggio/ Matrimonio con Umberto Agnelli e un triste destino". IlSussidiario.net (in Italian). Retrieved 2022-01-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ a b c d "Obituary: Giovanni Alberto Agnelli". The Independent. 1997-12-15. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  5. ^ "GIOVANNI AGNELLI, HEIR APPARENT TO FIAT EMPIRE, DIES". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  6. ^ a b "Giovanni Alberto Agnelli". SFGATE. 1997-12-14. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  7. ^ Friedman, Alan; Tribune, International Herald (1996-04-09). "Fiat's Crown Prince Takes Aim at Old Guard". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  8. ^ Brozan, Nadine (1996-10-22). "CHRONICLE: Former Italian diplomat looks out for herself... And her nephew, dynasty's heir, will marry". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
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