Ermenegildo Zegna (businessman)
Italian entrepreneur and manager (born 1955)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ermenegildo "Gildo" Zegna (Italian pronunciation: [(ermene)ˈdʒildо dˈdzeɲɲa]; born 30 September 1955) is an Italian businessman, chairman and CEO of Ermenegildo Zegna Group, which was founded by his grandfather and namesake in 1910 in Trivero.
- Chairman and CEO of Ermenegildo Zegna Group
- CEO of Thom Browne Inc.
- CEO of Tom Ford International
Ermenegildo Zegna | |
|---|---|
| Born | 30 September 1955 Turin, Italy |
| Education | University of London, Harvard Business School |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for |
|
| Awards | Knight of Labour, Leonardo Prize |
Early life and education
Gildo is a grandson of Ermenegildo Zegna, who founded the family business in 1910. Born in Turin in 1955 and raised in Biella,[1] Gildo Zegna's father, Angelo, along with his brother Aldo, had been overseeing the business since the mid-1960s. Angelo was the company's honorary chairman until his death in 2021.[1][2][3]
Zegna graduated with a degree in economics from the University of London in 1978. In 1981, he completed a managerial program at the Harvard Business School.[4]
Career
Zegna entered the family business in 1982, assuming the role of president of Ermenegildo Zegna Corporation, where he managed the distribution of Zegna products in the U.S. and Canada.[4]
From 1986 to 1989, he was CEO of Italco SA, supervising the distribution of Zegna. products in Spain.[4][5]
Zegna has been a board member of Ermenegildo Zegna Group since 1989, becoming chief executive officer in 1997.[6]
Under his guidance the Group - born as a textile company which then developed into high-end menswear - has grown to become one of the main global players in the luxury sector, listed on the New York Stock Exchange,[7] also thanks to the acquisition of Thom Browne in 2018[8] and more recently, in 2023, of the TOM FORD FASHION business.[9]
In December 2021 the Group was listed on the New York Stock Exchange; subsequently, Ermenegildo Zegna also assumed the role of Chairman in addition to that of CEO. [10]
Assignments and honors
Zegna was awarded the title Knight of Labour (Cavaliere del Lavoro) in 2011 by Italian president Giorgio Napolitano.[11]
Besides leading the Zegna Group, Zegna is the chairman at Thom Browne Inc., at Monterubello (the family company)[12] and at Tom Ford International. Additionally, he holds the position of Chairman at Filati Biagioli Modesto.[13] Gildo Zegna is also a member of the Strategic Committee and Advisor of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (The National Chamber for Italian Fashion).[14]
From 2014 to 2018, he was a board member at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV.
In 2016, he received the Leonardo Prize from Italian President Sergio Mattarella, a prestigious award given to an Italian personality who has acted in a significant way to promote the image of Italy in the world.[15]
Personal life
He is married and has two sons.[5]
Honours
- Knight of the Order of Merit for Labour (May 30, 2011)