Cesare Romiti facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cesare Romiti
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 24 June 1923 |
| Died | 18 August 2020 (aged 97) Milan, Italy
|
| Nationality | Italian |
| Occupation | Economist and Business Executive |
| Spouse(s) |
Luigia Castaldi
(m. 1948; |
| Children |
|
Cesare Romiti (born June 24, 1923 – died August 18, 2020) was an Italian expert in economics and a successful businessman. He was famous for leading many big companies, both those owned by the government and private ones, like Fiat and Alitalia. People sometimes called him Il Duro, which means "The tough guy," because of his strong leadership style, especially when he was in charge of Fiat.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Cesare Romiti was born in Rome, Italy, on June 24, 1923. His father worked for the post office but lost his job because he was against the fascist government led by Benito Mussolini. Cesare grew up in a poor family with two brothers. He once shared a story about how he had to steal a bag of flour during the German occupation of Rome. He said it was "welcomed like manna at home," meaning it was a huge help to his family. In 1945, he earned a degree in economics and business.
A Career in Business
Romiti started his career in 1947 at a company called Bombrini Parodi Delfino (BFD), which made ammunition. Later, in 1968, this company joined with another one called Snia Viscosa, and he became their main financial director.
Leading Alitalia
After that, he moved to Alitalia, a big airline company. In December 1970, he joined Alitalia's board, and then he became the general manager and chief executive. He worked there until 1973. In September 1973, he became the chief executive of Italstat, a finance company.
Time at Fiat
Cesare Romiti worked for Fiat, a famous car company, for twenty years, from 1974 to 1995. He also owned a lot of shares in the company. He joined Fiat in 1974 during a tough time for car makers, known as the 1973 oil crisis. Six years later, he became the CEO.
He played a big part in ending a strike by factory workers. Fiat had planned to let go of 14,000 employees, which started the strike. Romiti, along with about 40,000 managers and other office workers, marched in Turin. They were asking for the right to work. He believed that some groups were causing trouble within the workers' union. The strike ended after several weeks. The employees who were let go received help, and Romiti said that the future of Fiat and its workers was now safe.
Chairman of Fiat
Romiti took over as chairman of Fiat after Gianni Agnelli stepped down. He led the company from February 28, 1996, to June 22, 1998. During this time, he helped Fiat become profitable again. He did this by launching new car models and closing the company's old factory in Lingotto. Paolo Fresco took over from him after that.
Later Roles and International Work
After leaving Fiat, Romiti continued to be a leader in other companies. He was the chairman of RCS Quotidiani S.p.A. from 1998 to 2004. Then, he led Impregilo from 2005 to 2007.
In 2000, he became the president of the Italian China Institution, and he was reappointed in 2004. He also worked as an advisor professor at Donghua University in China. In 2006, China gave him honorary citizenship. This was to thank him for his efforts to build stronger connections between Italy and China.
Personal Life and Passing
Cesare Romiti married Luigia Gastaldi in 1948. They were married until she passed away in 2001. They had two sons, Maurizio (born in 1949) and Piergiorgio (born in 1951). Cesare Romiti died at his home in Milan on August 18, 2020, at the age of 97.
Honors and Awards
Romiti received many important awards and honors from different countries and organizations:
He was made an Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honour from France.
He became a Knight of the Order of Merit for Labour from Italy in 1978.
He was awarded the Knight of the Grand Cross Order of Merit of the Italian Republic from Italy in 1984.
He also received awards from other groups, including the Chinese people's association for friendship with foreign countries. He was named honorary chairman of the Aspen Institute. On June 21, 2004, he became the honorary president of RCS MediaGroup.
See also
In Spanish: Cesare Romiti para niños
