John Elkann facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Elkann
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John Philip Jacob Elkann
1 April 1976 New York City, U.S.
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| Nationality | Italian |
| Alma mater | Polytechnic University of Turin |
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| Spouse(s) |
Lavinia Borromeo
(m. 2004) |
| Children | 3 |
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John Philip Jacob Elkann was born on 1 April 1976. He is an Italian businessman who leads many large companies. Since 2004, he has been in charge of the Agnelli family's businesses. This family is a very old and powerful business family in Italy.
John Elkann is the chairman of Stellantis, a huge car company. He is also the CEO of Exor. Exor is a company that owns parts of many other big companies. These include Ferrari (famous for sports cars), CNH Industrial (which makes tractors and trucks), Iveco Group, Juventus FC (a football club), and The Economist Group (a media company). In 2018, he became the chairman of Ferrari. In 2021, he helped bring together two big car companies, Fiat Chrysler and the PSA Group, to create Stellantis. This new company controls 14 car brands and has many factories around the world.
Contents
Early Life and Family
John Elkann was born in New York City. He used to have both Italian and US citizenship, but he gave up his US citizenship in 2012. His father, Alain Elkann, is a writer from a French-Jewish and Italian-Jewish background. His mother, Margherita Agnelli, comes from a very important Italian family.
His grandparents were Gianni Agnelli, who was the head of Fiat S.p.A., and Marella Agnelli. His great-great-grandfather, Giovanni Agnelli, actually founded Fiat S.p.A. John has a brother, Lapo Elkann, and a sister, Ginevra Elkann. He also has five half-siblings from his mother's second marriage.
John went to primary school in the United Kingdom and Brazil. Then his family moved to Paris, France. In 1994, he finished high school there. Later that year, he moved to Italy to study engineering at the Polytechnic University of Turin. He graduated in 2000. He learned to speak four languages: Italian, English, French, and Portuguese.
Career Highlights
While studying engineering, John Elkann gained work experience. He did internships at a car headlight factory in England and a car production line in Poland. He also worked at a car dealership in France.
In 1997, when he was only 21, he was chosen by his grandfather, Gianni Agnelli, to be his successor. This happened after Gianni's nephew, Giovanni Alberto Agnelli, passed away. John joined the board of Fiat S.p.A. when he was 22.
After graduating in 2000, he worked at General Electric for two years. He then moved back to Turin, Italy, to be closer to his family's businesses. In 2003, he joined IFIL, which later became Exor. He helped turn around the Fiat Group. He was important in choosing Sergio Marchionne as the CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) in 2004.
After his grandfather Gianni Agnelli passed away in 2003, John became vice-chairman of Fiat. In 2009, he combined two companies, IFI and IFIL, to create Exor. He became the chairman of Exor. In 2010, he also became the chairman of Fiat S.p.A.
In 2011, John Elkann became the chairman and CEO of Exor. The value of Exor's businesses grew a lot under his leadership. Since 2017, he has been the chairman of Ferrari. He also leads the Giovanni Agnelli Foundation, which helps with education.
In 2015, Exor bought an insurance company called PartnerRe. John also helped Ferrari become a public company, with its shares traded on the stock market. In 2015, he bought a large part of The Economist Group, a media company. He also helped organize a conference about the future of newspapers in 2017.
In 2019, Exor bought a controlling share in GEDI Gruppo Editoriale. This company owns two important Italian newspapers, La Repubblica and La Stampa.
In 2018, John Elkann was chosen to take over as chairman of Ferrari. In 2019, he announced plans to merge FCA with Peugeot S.A. (PSA Group). The goal was to create one of the world's largest carmakers, called Stellantis. This merger was completed in 2021. Stellantis started trading with a market value of over $52 billion.
In 2020, John Elkann and the FCA board gave up their salaries to help during the COVID-19 pandemic. From 2020 to 2021, he was also the CEO of Ferrari for a short time. In 2021, he was honored as a Knight of the Order of Merit for Labour in Italy. In 2023, he launched Lingotto, a new investment company owned by Exor. In January 2025, he joined the board of directors at Meta Platforms.
Sports
Juventus F.C.
As the CEO of Exor, John Elkann represents the owners of the famous football club Juventus. He supported his cousin, Andrea Agnelli, in becoming the chairman of Juventus in 2010.
Ferrari
John Elkann is the Executive Chairman of Ferrari. This means he has a big role in the auto racing team Scuderia Ferrari. This team competes in Formula One and also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Helping Others
John Elkann supports many activities that help people. He is the chairman of the Agnelli Foundation. This group helps education through scientific research and other projects.
Education and Research
Since 2014, the Agnelli Foundation has offered a free online tool for Italian students. It helps them find the best schools to prepare for university or jobs. They also work on a project called Torino fa scuola, which renovates school buildings in Turin.
John Elkann also supported the Arcipelago Educativo project. This project helps students who might drop out of school, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. He also helped fund the Science Gateway, a new science education center at CERN.
Emergency Aid
In 2019, John Elkann took part in a charity football match to raise money for cancer research. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, his family donated €10 million to help Italian citizens. He and his wife also support a project to improve the neonatal intensive care unit at a children's hospital in Turin.
Personal Life
John Elkann was raised Catholic. He has lived in different countries like the United Kingdom, Brazil, France, and Italy. In 2004, he married Lavinia Borromeo. She comes from a well-known Italian noble family. They got married on one of the Borromean Islands in Italy. They have three children: Leone, Oceano, and Vita. They live in Turin.
Innovation and Technology
As an engineer, John Elkann is very interested in technology. He often attends big tech conferences. He also supports new companies and ideas through Exor Ventures, which invests in startups.
Yachting and Motorsport
John Elkann enjoys yachting. He has taken part in many sailing races with the Maserati team, led by Giovanni Soldini. He has set new speed records in races like the Cape2Rio. He also enjoys classic car races, like the Mille Miglia, which he has participated in with his wife.
Offices
John Elkann is the chief executive officer of Exor. He is also the chairman of Stellantis and the executive chairman of Ferrari. He leads the Giovanni Agnelli Foundation. He is a board member of Meta Platforms.
Awards and Honours
- Appeal of Conscience Award, September 2010.
Nominated Knight of the Order of Merit for Labour in the Italian automotive industry, May 2021.
See also
In Spanish: John Elkann para niños
