The new Board of Directors of Pitti Immagine took office today, chaired by Antonio De Matteis. The board has been expanded by two members compared to the outgoing board, following a resolution adopted last week by the Extraordinary Shareholders’ Meeting. Ampng major novelties, Ivano Cauli is the new CEO and Ravvaelo Napoleone will be Managing Director for International and Institutional Relations.
It is composed of Giovanni Basagni (re-elected), Stefano Borsini (re-elected), Laura Bosetti Tonatto (newly appointed), Ercole Botto Poala (re-elected), Paolo Carrai (newly appointed), Ivano Cauli (new appointment), Antonio De Matteis (re-elected Chairman), Marco Landi (re-elected), Antonella Mansi (re-elected Vice Chairwoman), Niccolò Moschini (re-elected), Raffaello Napoleone (re-elected), Lorenzo Nencini (re-elected), and Marco Palmieri (re-elected).
The Board of Auditors, confirmed in its entirety, consists of Massimo Bianchi (Chair), Deborah Sassorossi, and Guido Ceron. Alternates: Giuseppe Cristiani and Roberto Vanni.
“First and foremost, I would like to thank the Centro di Firenze per la Moda Italiana (CFMI) and Confindustria Moda for the trust they have placed in me and the Board,” began Antonio De Matteis, who will remain president until 2028.
“Complex years lie ahead, but we are ready to contribute our support to Pitti Immagine’s trade fair initiatives, which represent excellence not only for Florence but also for the various sectors they serve. I extend my best wishes for success to outgoing board member Niccolò Ricci, the new president of Polimoda, and I also extend a warm welcome to the new board members Laura Bosetti Tonatto, Paolo Carrai, and Ivano Cauli,” added De Matteis.
Ivano Cauli, the company’s current General Manager, becomes CEO, replacing Raffaello Napoleone, who is now Managing Director for International and Institutional Relations.
“Over the past few months, we have worked closely with the shareholders, providing them with all the necessary elements for strategic reflection, which then materialized into guidelines for the next three years, including, of course, that dynamic balance between continuity and change that is the true hallmark of this transition,” explained De Matteis.
This is evidenced, on the one hand, by the expansion of the Board to include entrepreneurs from sectors that are now firmly part of our product portfolio (high-quality food and niche perfumery), and on the other, by the new structure of the senior management team. “There is no doubt that this dual commitment places a great responsibility on the shoulders of Ivano Cauli—who has been with the company for four years now—but his personal entrepreneurial experience, his ability to manage innovation, and his knowledge of the corporate structure provide ample assurance,” she added, explaining that Cauli will be able to count on the support of Raffaello Napoleone and the management team, where experienced members such as Agostino Poletto and Lapo Cianchi—former directors of Corporate Strategy and Corporate Communications, respectively—will support the work of the new managers leading the trade show organization.
“I am convinced that the future of Pitti Immagine and the CFMI Group—and I’m talking about the next 10 to 15 years—will be decided in the next two or three years,” said Antonella Mansi, vice president.
“There is a serious crisis in the international order that is obviously reflected in the economy and, in particular, in global trade and mobility: we clearly see its impact on the fashion sector in particular. On the trade fair front, all of this is translating into changes in how operators participate and a consequent reduction in operating margins, which inevitably leads to the need to keep costs under control while seeking new opportunities,” she added.
“Our responsibility, as representatives of the members, has always been to equip the Group with what is necessary to best address the many challenges that arise before us every day. The Pitti trade shows are an indispensable reference point for international economic operators, for our region, and for our companies, and we intend to support them with the full extent of the talent and knowledge we can muster. This step further strengthens us and allows us to look to the future with greater confidence,” she concluded.