Luca di Montezemolo | |
|---|---|
 Montezemolo in 2008 | |
| Born | Luca Cordero di Montezemolo (1947-08-31)31 August 1947 (age 78) |
| Alma mater | Sapienza University Columbia University |
| Occupation(s) | Former chairman ofAlitalia Former chairman ofConfindustria |
| Known for | Former chairman ofFerrari S.p.A. Former chairman ofFiat S.p.A. |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5 |
| Signature | |
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Luca Cordero di Montezemolo (Italian pronunciation:[ˈluːkakorˈdɛːrodiˌmontedˈdzɛːmolo,-dˈdzeːm-]; born 31 August 1947) is an Italian businessman andmotorsport executive who is best known as the former chairman ofFerrari,Fiat S.p.A.,Confindustria andAlitalia.
Montezemolo descends from an aristocratic family from the region ofPiedmont in Italy. He is one of the founders and former president ofNTV, an Italian company which is Europe's first private open access operator of 300 km/h (186 mph) high-speed trains.[1]
In 2009, Montezemolo foundedFuture Italy, afree marketthink tank that joinedCivic Choice in the2013 Italian parliamentary election.[2]
On 28 June 2025, he was reported to have been appointed as a director ofMcLaren Group Holdings Ltd.[3]
Luca di Montezemolo was born inBologna,Italy, the youngest son of Massimo Cordero dei Marchesi di Montezemolo (1920–2009), a Piedmontese aristocrat whose family served the RoyalHouse of Savoy for generations, and Clotilde Neri (1922–2017), niece of famed Italian surgeon Vincenzo Neri. His uncle, Admiral Giorgio Cordero dei Marchesi di Montezemolo (1918–1986) was a commander in theRegia Marina inWorld War II. His grandfather, Mario (1888–1960) and great-grandfather Carlo (1858–1943) were both Generals in the Italian Army. He is also a relation toAndrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo (his father Massimo and Andrea were cousins), who became acardinal in 2006 and whose father, colonel Giuseppe Cordero di Montezemolo, was killed by theNazi occupation troops during themassacre of the Fosse Ardeatine in Rome in 1944. His surname is actually "Cordero di Montezemolo" and the correct usage is either the full surname or just Montezemolo (omitting the "di");Marchesi is a noble title.[4]
Montezemolo graduated with a degree in law fromLa Sapienza University in 1971. Afterwards, he studied for a master's degree in international commercial law atColumbia University.[5]
Montezemolo's sporting career began at the wheel of aGiannini Fiat 500 which he raced together with his friend Cristiano Rattazzi. Later, Montezemolo briefly drove for the privately ownedLanciarally team known as HF Squadra Corse. He joined the auto manufacturing conglomerate FIAT S.p.A., headquartered in Torino.
In 1973 Luca di Montezemolo was invited byEnzo Ferrari to be his assistant. In 1974, he was appointed sporting director of theScuderia. During his involvement with the team, Ferrari won the Formula One World Championship withNiki Lauda in 1975 and 1977.
In 1976 Montezemolo was promoted to become head of all FIAT racing activities, and in 1977 he advanced to become a senior manager of FIAT. Throughout the 1980s, Montezemolo occupied a number of positions in the FIAT empire, including managing director of the drinks companyCinzano and director of the publishing company Itedi.
In 1982, Montezemolo managed theAmerica's Cup challenge of TeamAzzurra, the first Italian yacht club to enter the event. In 1985, he became manager of the Organizing Committee for 1990World Cup Italia.
In November 1991, FIAT ChairmanGianni Agnelli appointed Montezemolo president of Ferrari, which had been struggling since Enzo Ferrari's death. Montezemolo made it his personal goal to win theFormula OneWorld Constructors' Championship once again. Montezemolo quickly made changes at the Italian team, signing up Niki Lauda as a consultant and promotingClaudio Lombardi to the team manager role.[6] During the 1990s he resurrected the Ferrari road car business from heavy debts into profit. He also took on the presidency ofMaserati when Ferrari acquired it in 1997, until 2005.
Under Montezemolo and executive directorJean Todt, the Ferrari Formula One team won theWorld Drivers' Championship in2000, the first time since1979. The previous year,1999, they had won the Constructors' Championship for the first time since1983.
On 27 May 2004, Montezemolo became president of the Italian business lobbyConfindustria. Days later, following the death ofUmberto Agnelli on 28 May, he was elected chairman ofFiat S.p.A., Ferrari's parent company.
On 29 July 2008, Montezemolo founded theFormula One Teams Association (FOTA) which he presided over from 2008 to 2010, eventually being replaced byMcLaren CEOMartin Whitmarsh. The Committee used to meet on a regular basis to discuss improvements toFormula One. FOTA was formally dissolved in 2014.
Montezemolo's salary in 2010 was more than twice that of Fiat CEOSergio Marchionne, making him the best-paid executive in the Fiat Group.[7]
In April 2010,John Elkann replaced Montezemolo as Chairman ofFiat S.p.A.[8]
On 10 September 2014, Montezemolo resigned as president and chairman of Ferrari and was replaced by FIAT Chrysler CEO,Sergio Marchionne.[citation needed]
Montezemolo has often been reported to have aspirations of a career in Italian politics, most recently the office of prime minister, but has always denied the rumours.[9]
In February 2015, Montezemolo became committee president of theRome bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
In April 2016, Montezemolo's name was mentioned in thePanama Papers.
In July 2015, Montezemolo was inducted into theAutomotive Hall of Fame. He received theAmerica Award of theItaly-USA Foundation in 2017.
Montezemolo lives primarily in Italy, with an apartment in Rome and a country estate outside Bologna.
He has five children, and has been married twice.
In 2012 Montezemolo was issued asuspended sentence of one year imprisonment by the court inNaples for the unauthorized construction of his personal residence inAnacapri, Italy.[17]
In his spare time, Montezemolo is a keen sailor and has owned two motor yachts.
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| Preceded by | Lorenzo Bandini Trophy 1997 | Succeeded by |
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