Sergio Marchionne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sergio Marchionne
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Marchionne in 2007
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| Born | 17 June 1952 Chieti, Italy
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| Died | 25 July 2018 (aged 66) Zürich, Switzerland
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| Alma mater | University of Toronto University of Windsor Osgoode Hall Law School |
| Occupation | Former Chairman of CNH Industrial Former CEO of Ferrari Former CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Former Chairman of Maserati Former CEO of FCA Italy Former CEO of FCA US Former Chairman of SGS |
| Spouse(s) | Orlandina (div.) |
| Partner(s) | Manuela Battezzato |
| Children | 2 sons |
Sergio Marchionne (born June 17, 1952 – died July 25, 2018) was a smart Italian-Canadian businessman. He was famous for helping big car companies like Fiat and Chrysler become successful again. People knew him for being very direct and honest, especially when talking about tough problems in the car industry.
Marchionne led many important companies. He was the boss of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, which makes cars like Fiat, Chrysler, and Jeep. He also led Ferrari and Maserati, which are famous for their sports cars. He was also the chairman of CNH Industrial, a company that makes tractors and construction equipment. For a time, he was also a leader at SGS and UBS. He was also involved with the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.
Marchionne was known for his sharp ideas about the car world. He would even openly criticize his own company's products if he thought they could be better. He believed that car companies should work together more.
He helped the Fiat Group grow very quickly in just a couple of years. In 2009, he played a key role in Fiat working with the American car company Chrysler, which was having financial problems. With help from the U.S. and Canadian governments, Chrysler got back on its feet. In 2014, Fiat and Chrysler officially joined together to form Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. This new company became one of the biggest car makers in the world.
Sadly, Marchionne had to leave all his jobs in July 2018 due to health problems after surgery. He passed away a few days later. Many people in the business world called him a "legend" and one of the "boldest business leaders" of his time.
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Early Life and Education
Sergio Marchionne was born in Chieti, Italy. His parents moved there in 1945. When he was 13, his family moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where they had relatives. Because of this, he had both Canadian and Italian citizenship. He could speak English, French, and Italian very well.
Marchionne was a trained accountant and a lawyer. He studied at the University of Toronto, the University of Windsor, and Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. He earned degrees in commerce, business administration (MBA), and law.
Marchionne's Career
Sergio Marchionne started his career in Canada working as an accountant and tax specialist. He then moved into leadership roles at different companies, including Lawson Mardon Group and Glenex Industries.
From 1992 to 1994, he was a Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at the Lawson Group. This company was later bought by Alusuisse Lonza (Algroup). He continued to work at Algroup in Switzerland, becoming its Chief Executive Officer in 1997. After that, he led the Lonza Group.
In 2002, he became the CEO of SGS S.A., a company that inspects and tests products. In 2003, he joined the Board of Directors of Fiat S.p.A., and in 2004, he became its CEO.
Leading Chrysler
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In June 2009, Chrysler was facing big financial problems. Fiat Group bought a part of Chrysler, and Marchionne was chosen to be Chrysler's new CEO.
In 2011, Fiat's ownership in Chrysler grew to 53.5%. Marchionne was also made the Chairman of Chrysler. Fiat and Chrysler officially joined together on August 1, 2014. This merger created Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, a huge global car company.
Later, in 2017, Fiat Chrysler faced questions from the EPA about some of its diesel engines. Marchionne said his company had done nothing wrong and disagreed with the EPA's claims.
His Final Days
Sergio Marchionne was last seen in public on June 26, 2018. He was in Rome, giving a new Jeep to Italy's military police. Soon after, his company announced he was taking time off for shoulder surgery in Switzerland. However, he had serious health problems after the surgery.
On July 21, 2018, Marchionne had to step down from all his leadership roles. He passed away on July 25, 2018, at the age of 66. He had been dealing with a serious illness for over a year before his death.
He was survived by his partner, Manuela Battezzato, his two sons, Alessio and Tyler, and his former wife, Orlandina.
How People Saw Him
Marchionne was known for being very direct and honest in his way of speaking.
Even though he worked in a formal business world, Marchionne liked to keep his clothing simple. He was famous for always wearing black sweaters and jeans. He kept a supply of them in all his homes. On June 1, 2018, he wore a necktie to celebrate a big achievement for FCA. Reporters noted that it was the first time they had seen him in a tie since 2007.
His Legacy
A high school named Istituto Sergio Marchionne was opened in Amatrice, Italy, on November 6, 2019. It was rebuilt after a big earthquake in 2016. The rebuilding was largely paid for by selling a special car, the 500th La Ferrari.
Honors and Awards
Cavaliere del Lavoro – This is a special Italian honor he received in 2006.- He received several honorary doctorates from universities, including the University of Windsor (2005), Università degli Studi di Cassino (2007), Polytechnic University of Turin (2008), and the University of Toledo (2011).
- In 2011, he received The Deming Cup for his excellent work in business operations.
- He was also honored with the Dwight D. Eisenhower Leadership Award in 2011.
- In 2015, he received the Hennick Medal for Career Achievement.
- He was recognized with the SAE Foundation Industry Leadership Award in 2015.
- In 2019, he was named World Car Person of the Year.
- He was added to the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2019.
See also
- Carlos Tavares, another CEO known for turning around car companies.
- Carlos Ghosn, a CEO who led a turnaround at Nissan.
- Lee Iacocca, a CEO who led a previous turnaround at Chrysler.
- Alan Mulally, a CEO who led a previous turnaround at Ford.
