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Giovanni Agnelli’s legacy as an influential industrialist and fashion icon continues to impact the Italian and international business and fashion industries.
In today’s article, we take a look into his life as we explore more about him as well as how many brothers and sisters he had.
Giovanni Agnelli’s Biography
Giovanni “Gianni” Agnelli, also known as L’Avvocato (“The Lawyer”), was an Italian industrialist and the principal shareholder of Fiat.
Agnelli was born in Turin on March 12, 1921, to notable Italian manufacturer Edoardo Agnelli. His mother was Princess Virginia Bourbon del Monte, and he was born into a noble family in Perugia. Giovanni Agnelli was named after his grandpa, Giovanni Agnelli, the founder of Fiat, and was raised by his grandfather when his father died in an aircraft crash when he was 14 years old.
Agnelli had roots in Villar Perosa, a hamlet near Turin, where he served as mayor until 1980. He was noted for his flawless and sometimes unusual fashion sense, which inspired both Italian and worldwide men’s fashion. He had an American maternal grandmother.
Throughout his life, Agnelli won numerous honours, including the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 1967 and the Order of Merit for Labour in 1977.
Agnelli acquired control of Fiat and other family interests in 1966, becoming the company’s president. Fiat became the most important firm in Italy and one of the major car manufacturers in Europe under his leadership. Agnelli was regarded as the king of Italian business from the 1960s to the 1980s and had a critical part in the Italian economic miracle. He also dabbled in the military sector with companies such as Fiat Velivoli.
Despite his commercial success, Agnelli was notorious for his wild lifestyle. He had multiple affairs with actresses and socialites before marrying Marella Caracciolo dei Principi di Castagneto in 1953, including Anita Ekberg, Rita Hayworth, and Jackie Kennedy.
Despite his involvement with other women during his marriage, Agnelli remained married to Marella until his death in 2003.
As Fiat’s president, Agnelli established manufacturing in countries around the world, including the Soviet Union, Spain, and South America. He also formed worldwide partnerships and joint ventures, such as Iveco, ushering in a new industrial mindset.
During the energy crisis of the 1970s, Agnelli sold a portion of the corporation to a Libyan company owned by Muammar Gaddafi. He later repurchased the shares, however.
Agnelli had a close relationship with Juventus, the famous Italian football club. He was both a fan and the club’s actual owner. Fiat was joined by Ferrari and Lancia in 1969 and 1970, substantially strengthening its influence.
He skillfully managed labour difficulties and signed agreements with labour unions to keep the relationship cordial. He was instrumental in the success of Fiat models such as the Fiat Uno, Fiat Croma, and Lancia Thema.
Agnelli was elected to the Italian Senate for life in 1991 and joined the independent parliamentary group. In 1997, he also briefly gained de facto control of Telecom Italia.
Agnelli made overtures to General Motors in the early 2000s, which resulted in an arrangement that led to General Motors getting involved in Fiat. Fiat, on the other hand, faced a crisis while Agnelli was battling cancer, and he was unable to actively assist in resolving the issues. Agnelli also ran into issues with Mediobanca, a bank that closely monitored Fiat due to its financial stake in the company.
Fiat was valued at €3.3 billion at the time of Agnelli’s death in 2003, but his inheritance rose enormously over the years.
Giovanni Agnelli Brothers And Sisters
Giovanni Agnelli had six siblings by the names of Umberto Agnelli, Susanna Agnelli, Maria Sole Agnelli, Giorgio Agnelli, Clara Agnelli, and Cristiana Agnelli.
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