Time to mourn: L'Avvocato died! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter nina
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Umberto has been chairman of Juventus for years now Paranoia 
I don't think that Umberto taking over Fiat is a bad call; Gianni actually made his grandson, John Elkann, who is only 21 btw, the next man to run the Fiat, but an hour after his death the family gathered and decided that Umerto is going to take over.
I don't think that Umberto taking over Fiat is a bad call; Gianni actually made his grandson, John Elkann, who is only 21 btw, the next man to run the Fiat, but an hour after his death the family gathered and decided that Umerto is going to take over.
He graduated in Law from Turin University. During World War II he served as a Cavalry Officer in the Italian Expeditionary Force on the Russian front, with the "Lodi" Tank Reconnaissance Unit in Tunisia and in the "Legnano" Division of the Italian Liberation Corps. For his conduct in Tunisia he was awarded the War Cross for Military Valour.
He joined Fiat in 1943 as Vice Chairman, and was appointed Managing Director in 1963. From April 1966 until February 1996 he was Chairman of the Board, and became then Honorary Chairman. He is Chairman of IFI - Istituto Finanziario Industriale S.p.A., of the Exor Group SA, of the Giovanni Agnelli Foundation and of the La Stampa publishing company.
Agnelli is a member of the Boards of Eurofrance, the International Advisory Council of the Chase Manhattan Corporation, and the Board of Trustees of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation.
He plays an active role in multinational organisations that foster international relations. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Bilderberg Meetings, of the International Advisory Board of the Council on Foreign Relations, and Honorary Chairman of the Council for Relations between Italy and the United States. He is Honorary Vice Chairman of the Association for European Monetary Union.
He is a correspondent member of the Academy of Moral and Political Science of the Institut de France and a Member of the Chairman's Council of the Museum of Modern Art of New York. He was Chairman of Confindustria from 1974 to 1976. He has been life Senator since June 1991, he was also Mayor of Villar Perosa from 1945 to 1980.
He is Honorary Chairman of Fiat S.p.A.
http://www.fiatgroup.com/fiat-centenary/pers/agng.html
He joined Fiat in 1943 as Vice Chairman, and was appointed Managing Director in 1963. From April 1966 until February 1996 he was Chairman of the Board, and became then Honorary Chairman. He is Chairman of IFI - Istituto Finanziario Industriale S.p.A., of the Exor Group SA, of the Giovanni Agnelli Foundation and of the La Stampa publishing company.
Agnelli is a member of the Boards of Eurofrance, the International Advisory Council of the Chase Manhattan Corporation, and the Board of Trustees of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation.
He plays an active role in multinational organisations that foster international relations. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Bilderberg Meetings, of the International Advisory Board of the Council on Foreign Relations, and Honorary Chairman of the Council for Relations between Italy and the United States. He is Honorary Vice Chairman of the Association for European Monetary Union.
He is a correspondent member of the Academy of Moral and Political Science of the Institut de France and a Member of the Chairman's Council of the Museum of Modern Art of New York. He was Chairman of Confindustria from 1974 to 1976. He has been life Senator since June 1991, he was also Mayor of Villar Perosa from 1945 to 1980.
He is Honorary Chairman of Fiat S.p.A.
http://www.fiatgroup.com/fiat-centenary/pers/agng.html
He was a real sports fan. He actually had 3 passions, but Juve was obviously the #1. He was in love in "machine rosse" - Ferrari, attended many races and was thrilled over the new ferrari era that went on in the last years. The third sport was sailing. He followed the Cups and when he was younger even participated in a few.
The other thing that most people remember about him is also the way he wore wrist watches. He wore them over his shirts so that the watches weren't in contact with the skin
The other thing that most people remember about him is also the way he wore wrist watches. He wore them over his shirts so that the watches weren't in contact with the skin
More then 100.000 people came to Fingotto (a bit outside Turino), where the coffin of l'Avvocato was, to pay the respect to him and to the family. 50.000 were gathered outside the church in Turino on Sunday where the mass was held. It was also on Rai1.
After the mass only the family and Gianni's all-time fav player and a good friend, Platini, were putting him to rest in a small town where he lived and was also mayor for 30 years.
After the mass only the family and Gianni's all-time fav player and a good friend, Platini, were putting him to rest in a small town where he lived and was also mayor for 30 years.
Gianni Agnelli, 1921-2003
Friday 24th January 2003
Giovanni Agnelli, who has died aged 81, was a colossus in Italian football. More than a mere club president, he shaped both the national game and the nation itself in the post war era, as head of Juventus and the Fiat car giant.
Born in 1921, Giovanni was always destined to be a key figure in Italian life. His grandfather had founded Fiat, his father took over Juventus in 1923, and the Agnelli's had already established a financial powerbase in the city of Turin.
Giovanni built on this powerbase, turning Fiat into a massive industrial success story and Juventus into the most decorated side in Italian football history. Officially, Giovanni's reign as club president lasted from 1947 to 1953. Realistically he remained closely involved in the running of the club right up until his death.
That though, was typical of the man. He trained as a lawyer, fought in Russia and Africa during the Second World War and was closely involved in every aspect of Italian life as a businessman, socialite, benefactor, and patron of the arts. His omnipotence often led to claims of shady dealings. Critics said that Juventus under the Agnelli's bribed referees and fixed championships. Such claims, however, are commonplace in Italian football and it was the extraordinary success that Agnelli oversaw at Juve which made the club a target for jealousy.
Giovanni liked to be known as Gianni, a more relaxed first name for a man who cultivated a reputation as a playboy. His wife, a princess, was beautiful and elegant, as were his mistresses, his fashion sense was admired and copied, and his friends were glamorous and successful. He straddled the two roles of hard-nosed corporate chief and relaxed socialite with some ease, equally comfortable around accountants and movie stars. However, Fiat's star faded in the 1980's as Italy opened up the market and he stepped down in 1996, taking on the role of honorary chairman.
His fairytale life was often touched by tragedy. In 1935, with Juventus beginning a remarkable period of dominance in the Italian game, his father, Edoardo, was killed in a plane crash. Gianni was 14. His nephew, who had been groomed to take over the Fiat dynasty, died of stomach cancer in 1997. Then, in November 2000, Gianni's only son, also named Edoardo, committed suicide.
Juventus was both his escape and his great passion. More than a simple expression of his wealth and power, the club mattered deeply to him. He was a football fan who often turned up to watch training and liked to talk about the game with Juve's players. His money and careful stewardship of the club brought them 19 Serie A titles in the post-war period.
In the last months of his life he was less visible at Juventus as he battled prostate cancer. He is survived by his wife Marella, and daughter Margherita.
Gianni Agnelli, businessman and owner of Juventus, born 12th March 1921, died 24th January 2003.
Friday 24th January 2003
Giovanni Agnelli, who has died aged 81, was a colossus in Italian football. More than a mere club president, he shaped both the national game and the nation itself in the post war era, as head of Juventus and the Fiat car giant.
Born in 1921, Giovanni was always destined to be a key figure in Italian life. His grandfather had founded Fiat, his father took over Juventus in 1923, and the Agnelli's had already established a financial powerbase in the city of Turin.
Giovanni built on this powerbase, turning Fiat into a massive industrial success story and Juventus into the most decorated side in Italian football history. Officially, Giovanni's reign as club president lasted from 1947 to 1953. Realistically he remained closely involved in the running of the club right up until his death.
That though, was typical of the man. He trained as a lawyer, fought in Russia and Africa during the Second World War and was closely involved in every aspect of Italian life as a businessman, socialite, benefactor, and patron of the arts. His omnipotence often led to claims of shady dealings. Critics said that Juventus under the Agnelli's bribed referees and fixed championships. Such claims, however, are commonplace in Italian football and it was the extraordinary success that Agnelli oversaw at Juve which made the club a target for jealousy.
Giovanni liked to be known as Gianni, a more relaxed first name for a man who cultivated a reputation as a playboy. His wife, a princess, was beautiful and elegant, as were his mistresses, his fashion sense was admired and copied, and his friends were glamorous and successful. He straddled the two roles of hard-nosed corporate chief and relaxed socialite with some ease, equally comfortable around accountants and movie stars. However, Fiat's star faded in the 1980's as Italy opened up the market and he stepped down in 1996, taking on the role of honorary chairman.
His fairytale life was often touched by tragedy. In 1935, with Juventus beginning a remarkable period of dominance in the Italian game, his father, Edoardo, was killed in a plane crash. Gianni was 14. His nephew, who had been groomed to take over the Fiat dynasty, died of stomach cancer in 1997. Then, in November 2000, Gianni's only son, also named Edoardo, committed suicide.
Juventus was both his escape and his great passion. More than a simple expression of his wealth and power, the club mattered deeply to him. He was a football fan who often turned up to watch training and liked to talk about the game with Juve's players. His money and careful stewardship of the club brought them 19 Serie A titles in the post-war period.
In the last months of his life he was less visible at Juventus as he battled prostate cancer. He is survived by his wife Marella, and daughter Margherita.
Gianni Agnelli, businessman and owner of Juventus, born 12th March 1921, died 24th January 2003.