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May 12, 2014
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Benetton turns the page: Gianni Mion new chairman

Published
May 12, 2014

On Thursday, May 8, Benetton Group’s shareholders' meeting approved the company’s financial statements for fiscal year 2013 and appointed of a new board of directors, the company announced in a statement. Alessandro Benetton is stepping down as chairman, but will stay on as a board member. He has been replaced by Gianni Mion, a long-time manager of the Benetton universe, named non-executive chairman.

Benetton headquarters in Ponzano Veneto, Veneto


A native of Padua, Mion is considered the alter ego of Gilberto Benetton, Luciano’s brother and director of Edizione, the family’s financial holding company that controls 100% of Benetton Group. Gianni Mion joined Edizione in 1986 as CEO. He has been one of the principal architects for over 27 years, alongside Gilberto Benetton, of the expansion and diversification of the group from Ponzano Veneto, near Treviso.

Besides his new post as chairman of Benetton Group, he is also currently vice president of Edizione, and chairman and general manager of Sintonia, Benetton’s other holding company, which controls Atlantia (Italian highways and Airports of Rome).

The new board additionally confirmed Marco Airoldi as CEO and general manager of Benetton Group, chosen on April 18 by Gilberto Benetton and Gianni Mion. Previously, he served as CEO of Autogrill, another company belonging to the Benetton universe, as senior partner and managing director of Boston Consulting Group, and was involved in developing the fashion company’s restructuring programme, now succeeding current CEO, Biagio Chiarolanza.

Both appointments attest to the recovery of the historic business by Edizione Holding. "The new governance model, which is in line with the model historically present in all the companies controlled by Edizione srl (the holding of the Benetton family), applies to all the subsidiaries of Benetton Group SpA,” reads a company statement.

The new board "will accompany the Company through the program to refocus its structure approved in November 2013 and, from January 1, 2015, it will focus on the Benetton core business (brands, product, commercial wholesale and retail activities, marketing), following the separation from the manufacturing and real estate activities."

Alessandro Benetton was appointed executive chairman of the group two years ago. The son of Luciano, who was to take over reins in representing the new Benetton generation at the head of the group’s flagship company, is thus taking a step back, instead focusing on his investment company 21 Partners.

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