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 (born April 1, 1976) is an Italian businessman. When he was 21, John was chosen by his grandfather, Gianni Agnelli, to lead the Agnelli family's businesses. Since 2004, he has been in charge of this powerful Italian business family.
John Elkann is the chairman of the car company Stellantis. He is also the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Exor. Exor is a holding company that the Agnelli family controls. It owns big parts of companies like Ferrari, CNH Industrial, Iveco Group, Juventus FC, and The Economist Group. In 2018, he became 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 400,000 employees around the world.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Elkann was born in New York City on April 1, 1976. He used to have both Italian and American citizenship, but he gave up his American citizenship in 2012. His father, Alain Elkann, is a journalist and writer. His mother, Margherita Agnelli, comes from a famous Italian family. His parents divorced in 1981.
John's maternal grandparents were Gianni Agnelli, who led Fiat S.p.A., and Marella Agnelli. His great-great-grandfather, Giovanni Agnelli, founded Fiat. 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. Later, his family moved to Paris, France. In 1994, he finished high school there. He then moved to Italy to study engineering at the Polytechnic University of Turin, graduating in 2000. He wrote his final paper about online shopping and auctions. John speaks four languages: Italian, English, French, and Portuguese.
Business Career
While studying engineering, John Elkann gained work experience. He did internships at a car light factory in England and a car production line in Poland. He also worked at a car dealership in France.
In 1997, at just 21 years old, John was chosen to be the future leader of his grandfather Gianni Agnelli's businesses. He joined the board of Fiat S.p.A. that same year. In 2000, after finishing university, he worked at General Electric for two years. He said it was a "beautiful experience" because he learned to work with people from different countries.
In 2003, John returned to Italy to be closer to his family and their businesses. He joined IFIL, which later became Exor. He helped turn around the Fiat Group and played a key role in choosing Sergio Marchionne as CEO of Fiat Chrysler in 2004.
After his grandfather Gianni passed away in 2003, and his great-uncle Umberto Agnelli in 2004, John became vice-chairman of Fiat. In 2009, he combined two holding companies, IFI and IFIL, to create Exor. He became the chairman of Exor. In 2010, he also became chairman of Fiat S.p.A. (which later became FCA).
In February 2011, John Elkann became chairman and CEO of Exor. Under his leadership, the company's value has grown a lot. Since 2017, he has also been chairman of Ferrari and other important companies. He is involved in many non-profit groups that support education. In 2013, Fortune magazine named him one of the world's most influential managers under 40.
In 2015, Exor bought an insurance company called PartnerRe. John also helped Ferrari become a publicly traded company on the stock exchange. He also gained control of The Economist Group, a well-known media company. In 2019, Exor bought a controlling share in GEDI Gruppo Editoriale, which owns two of Italy's most important newspapers, La Repubblica and La Stampa.
In July 2018, John Elkann was chosen to lead Ferrari after Sergio Marchionne left due to health issues. In 2019, John announced plans to merge FCA with Peugeot S.A. (PSA Group). The goal was to create one of the world's largest carmakers. This new company, named Stellantis, was formed in 2021.
In March 2020, John and the FCA board gave up their salaries to help during the COVID-19 pandemic. From December 2020 to September 2021, he was also the CEO of Ferrari. In May 2021, Italy's president honored him as a Knight of the Order of Merit for Labour in the automotive industry. In 2021, Forbes magazine estimated his wealth to be around US$2 billion.
In 2023, John Elkann spoke about the growth of the family's companies since 2003. He noted that revenues had grown from 22 billion to 130 billion euros. The number of car models and employees also increased significantly. He mentioned that brands like Fiat, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia have been relaunched. In January 2025, John Elkann was appointed a board director at Meta Platforms.
Sports
Juventus F.C.
As the CEO of Exor, John Elkann represents the owners of the football club Juventus. In 2010, he supported his cousin Andrea Agnelli to become the chairman of Juventus.
Ferrari
As the Executive Chairman of Ferrari, John Elkann oversees the auto racing team Scuderia Ferrari. This team is famous for competing in Formula One and the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. In 2023 and 2024, Ferrari won the 24 Hours of Le Mans after many years away from the race as a car manufacturer.
Helping Others
John Elkann supports many activities that help people. He is the chairman of the Agnelli Foundation. This non-profit group helps education through scientific research and projects.
Education and Research
Since 2014, the Agnelli Foundation has offered a free online tool for Italian students. It helps them find the best secondary schools for university or work. John also helped start "Torino fa scuola," a project to fix up school buildings in Turin.
He supported the "Arcipelago Educativo" project, which helps students who might drop out of school. This project was created with the Agnelli Foundation, Exor, and Save the Children.
In 2019, John Elkann helped launch the Science Gateway at CERN. This new center aims to share science and technology knowledge for free. He attended its official opening in October 2023.
Emergency Aid
In May 2019, John took part in a charity football match to raise money for cancer research. In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he led the Agnelli family in donating €10 million. This money went to help Italian citizens and local health needs in Turin. John 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 Roman Catholic. He has lived in the United Kingdom, Brazil, France, and Italy. In 2004, he married Lavinia Borromeo. She is from a well-known Italian noble family. They got married on September 4, 2004, on Isola Madre, one of the Borromean Islands. They have three children: Leone, Oceano, and Vita, and they live in Turin.
Innovation and Technology
As an engineer, John Elkann is very interested in technology. Since 2009, he has attended the annual media and tech conference in Sun Valley, Idaho. He also goes to the Google Camp, where tech leaders and investors meet in Sicily.
In 2018, he was featured on a podcast called Masters of Scale. He talked about how companies can last for many years by adapting to change. He used the example of Fiat, which recovered from a crisis to become Fiat Chrysler. He also invited tech leaders to Turin to launch a new School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In 2019, he supported the creation of Italian Tech Week, an event that has hosted famous people like Elon Musk.
In December 2021, Bloomberg listed him as one of the "50 most influential people" for his role in creating Stellantis. Through Exor Ventures, a program for new businesses, he has invested over 500 million euros in innovation projects since 2018.
Yachting and Motorsport
John Elkann enjoys yachting. In March 2012, he took part in a race from Miami to New York City on a monohull boat with the Maserati team. In May 2012, he and his wife participated in the Mille Miglia, a historic car race in Italy. They also took part in the 2021 edition of this race.
In 2013, John participated in the Transpac Race from Los Angeles to Honolulu, finishing second. In 2014, his team won the Cape2Rio race, setting a new speed record. He has also competed in other sailing races like the Rorc Caribbean 600 Race. In 2015, he helped the Maserati team set a new record for sailing from San Francisco to Shanghai.
In May 2016, John Elkann took part in the 100th Targa Florio car race in Palermo. In January 2020, he participated in the Cape2Rio race again. In October 2020, he won the Rolex Middle Sea Race with the Maserati Multi 70 boat. In August 2021, he kicked off the 89th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans car race.
Roles and Positions
John Elkann holds several important roles:
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Exor
- Chairman of Stellantis
- General Partner of Giovanni Agnelli B.V.
- Executive Chairman of Ferrari
- Chairman of the Giovanni Agnelli Foundation
- Trustee of MOMA (Museum of Modern Art)
- Member of the Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli
- Member of the JP Morgan International Council
- 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
