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Diego Della Valle

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Diego Della Valle
Della Valle in 2003
Born (1953-12-30) 30 December 1953 (age 70)
Sant'Elpidio a Mare, Marche, Italy
Alma materUniversity of Bologna
Occupation(s)Lawyer
businessman
Known for
Major shareholder of Tod's
Former Owner of ACF Fiorentina
Owner of Maison Schiaparelli
Board member ofChairman of Tod's
SpouseBarbara Pistilli
Children2
RelativesAndrea (brother)

Diego Della Valle (born 30 December 1953) is an Italian businessman who has been the chairman of the leather goods company Tod's.

Early life and education

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Della Valle was born and raised in Sant'Elpidio a Mare[1] in Italy’s Marche region. He is the elder son of Dorino Della Valle and grandson of Filippo Della Valle. Filippo started his shoemaking business in the 1920s, making shoes for Azzedine Alaïa, Calvin Klein and Neiman Marcus, among others;[2] Diego later expanded it into the now-famous Tod's brand.[3][4][5]

Diego studied Law at the University of Bologna, obtaining an academic degree in 1975.

Career

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Even during his younger days, Diego was business savvy: Diego used the power of celebrity to popularise his product, such an example was to have once persuaded his friend Luca di Montezemolo, who was a protégé of the then Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli, to present Agnelli with a pair of Tod's driving moccasins – the lawyer got Agnelli to wear Tod's shoes when attending Juventus football matches, which were widely televised; this product placement prompted a spike in sales.[3][4][5]

Della Valle joined the family business in 1975[6] and took it over in 1978.[7] That same year, he named the company J.P. Tod's. From 1996, he started converting the company's signature stores in the United States to J. P. Tod's boutiques.[8] The brand later dropped the "J.P." in 1999 after the brand became inadvertently known as solely "J.P.'s" instead of the preferred Tod's.[9][10]

Today, Della Valle manages Tod's with his brother Andrea. Diego's older son, Emanuele, is also involved with the family business as the creative director. The factory in Casette d'Ete was designed by his wife, Barbara.[4][5]

In 1993, Della Valle joined forces with Montezemolo and Paolo Borgomanero on reviving the Acqua di Parma brand.[11] Since 2001, he has been a minority shareholder in funds Charme Investments (Luxembourg) and Charme II (Rome), both of which were founded by Luca Cordero di Montezemolo and control knitwear brand Ballantyne and furniture firm Poltrona Frau.[12]

In 1999, Della Valle raised his stake in British shoemaker Church's to 9.5 percent, setting off the speculation about a takeover; he ultimately decided against bidding against Prada which ended up acquiring the company.[13][14] He agreed to sell his holding to Prada.[15]

In 2004, Della Valle and his brother Andrea took a 40.6 percent stake in eyewear company Marcolin through their holdings.[16]

Through his Gruppo Diego Della Valle holding, Della Valle has been owning and reviving the fashion brand Maison Schiaparelli since 2007. He has holdings in coffee-machine maker Bialetti;[17] RCS MediaGroup, which owns the Corriere della Sera newspaper; Le Monde newspaper; Banca Nazionale del Lavoro; Mediobanca;[18] film studio Cinecittà; and Piaggio motorcycles.[19]

Around 2008, Della Valle and Montezemolo started working on the launch of high-speed train company Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori.[20] In 2018, both Della Valle and Montezemolo sold, with all other shareholders, NTV to Global Infrastructure Partners' GPI III fund for nearly €2 billion; Della Valle made about €340 million from the deal.[21]

In 2009, Della Valle published a book of photographs titled Italian Touch, a collection of portraits depicting upper-class Italian families at home.[22]

Between 2009 and 2010, Della Valle increased his stake in luxury department store operator Saks, Inc. just above 19 percent, becoming the company's largest shareholder and sending its shares to a two-year high.[23][24] When Hudson's Bay Company bought Saks, Inc. for US$2.4 billion in 2013,[25] Della Valle was said to make around $136 million on the deal.[26]

In 2013, Della Valle briefly entered a bidding race for Italy’s La7 television network, the only channel at the time not owned by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi or state broadcaster RAI.[27]

Other activities

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Corporate boards

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Non-profit organizations

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Sports

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In 2002, Della Valle bought the Tuscan football club ACF Fiorentina[3][5] and rescued it from bankruptcy. He sold ACF Fiorentina to Rocco Commisso at the end of the 2018/2019 season.

Heritage conservation

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In 2013, Della Valle announced that he would finance the restoration of the Colosseum in Rome, at a cost of more than €30 mi.

Political views

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In 1993, Della Valle supported and financed Silvio Berlusconi’s populist Pole of Freedoms coalition,[34] but soon bowed out, citing differences in values.[35] Della Valle established himself as a political moderate[36] and publicly attacked Berlusconi for the over-taxing of big business and his failure to support smaller Italian businesses. In return, Berlusconi talked of suing Della Valle for defamation.[3][5] Meanwhile, Della Valle is close friends with centrist politician Clemente Mastella.[37]

In the run-up to the 2013 elections, Della Valle financially supported Mario Monti's campaign.[38]

In 2015, Italian weekly newsmagazine L'Espresso reported that Della Valle had registered a logo proclaiming “Noi italiani [We Italians]” to the trademark office of the country’s Ministry of Economic Development, for categories related to a political party.[39]

Recognition

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Personal life

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Della Valle is married to architect Barbara Pistilli.[43]

Della Valle still lives in Sant'Elpidio a Mare,[44][45] where he owns the 370-acre Villa Palombarone.[46] He also has residences in Milan, Paris, New York, La Gorce Island,[47] and an 12-acre compound in Capri.[48][49]

In 2005, Della Valle bought John F. Kennedy’s 52-foot mahogany Marlin yacht[50] at a Christie’s auction.[51] For his travels, he owns a helicopter (first a Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin,[52] later replaced with a AgustaWestland AW139)[53] and a private jet (first a Dassault Falcon 2000,[54] later replaced with a Gulfstream G550).[55]

References

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  1. ^ Horacio Silva (17 October 2010), Profile in Style: Diego Della Valle New York Times.
  2. ^ Andrew Roberts (1 March 2009), Power Player W.
  3. ^ a b c d "Diego Della Valle". 18 January 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  4. ^ a b c Betts, Kate (8 March 2006). "Driving Force: Diego Della Valle". Time. Archived from the original on 11 January 2007. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  5. ^ a b c d e Shamoon, Stella (2 April 2006). "Diego Della Valle: Going in feet first". The Independent. Archived from the original on 13 December 2009. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  6. ^ Andrew Roberts (1 March 2009), Power Player W.
  7. ^ Kate Betts (8 March 2006), Driving Force: Diego Della Valle Time.
  8. ^ Constance C. R. White (1 October 1996), J. P. Tod's Conversions New York Times.
  9. ^ Yorker, The New (2 May 2004). "Shoe Dreams". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  10. ^ Sheryl Garratt (16 October 2011), Diego Della Valle of Tod's: king of loafers The Daily Telegraph.
  11. ^ LVMH appoints Diego della Valle, chairman of Tod’s LVMH, press release of 23 March 2002.
  12. ^ Luisa Zargani (31 October 2011), The Numbers Behind Diego Della Valle’s Empire Women's Wear Daily.
  13. ^ Lucy Baker (3 September 1999), Prada and Della Valle have designs on Church The Independent.
  14. ^ No Bid By Della Valle New York Times, 12 October 1999.
  15. ^ James Fallon (31 October 2011), Deal For Church Uncovers Prada Women's Wear Daily.
  16. ^ Luisa Zargani (31 October 2011), The Numbers Behind Diego Della Valle’s Empire Women's Wear Daily.
  17. ^ Luisa Zargani (31 October 2011), The Numbers Behind Diego Della Valle’s Empire Women's Wear Daily.
  18. ^ Luisa Zargani (31 October 2011), The Numbers Behind Diego Della Valle’s Empire Women's Wear Daily.
  19. ^ Andrew Roberts (1 March 2009), Power Player W.
  20. ^ Andrew Roberts (1 March 2009), Power Player W.
  21. ^ Rachel Sanderson (16 February 2018), Tod’s owner Diego Della Valle: ‘Millennials are not for everyone’ Financial Times.
  22. ^ Andrea Lee (1 September 2011), The Tycoon Next Door W.
  23. ^ Italy's Della Valle says Saks stake strategic inv Reuters, 28 May 2009.
  24. ^ Brad Dorfman and Antonella Ciancio (21 October 2010), Italian businessman becomes Saks' largest holder Reuters.
  25. ^ "Hudson's Bay to Buy Luxury Retailer Saks for $2.4 Billion". Bloomberg.com. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2018 – via www.bloomberg.com.
  26. ^ Phil Wahba and Solarina Ho (29 July 2013), Hudson's Bay CEO bets big on department stores with Saks buy Reuters.
  27. ^ Rachel Sanderson (17 February 2013), Della Valle makes offer for La7 network Financial Times.
  28. ^ Resignation of Diego Della Valle Assicurazioni Generali, press release of 5 June 2012.
  29. ^ John Arlidge (30 September 2012), Tycoon roars off Ferrari board The Times.
  30. ^ LVMH appoints Diego della Valle, chairman of Tod’s LVMH, press release of 23 March 2002.
  31. ^ Rachel Sanderson (16 February 2018), Tod’s owner Diego Della Valle: ‘Millennials are not for everyone’ Financial Times.
  32. ^ Eric Sylvers (21 March 2006), An old ally of Berlusconi becomes a foe New York Times.
  33. ^ Amanda Kaiser (6 April 2006), Diego Della Valle’s Political Profile Women's Wear Daily.
  34. ^ Amanda Kaiser (6 April 2006), Diego Della Valle’s Political Profile Women's Wear Daily.
  35. ^ Andrea Lee (1 September 2011), The Tycoon Next Door W.
  36. ^ Andrea Lee (1 September 2011), The Tycoon Next Door W.
  37. ^ Amanda Kaiser (6 April 2006), Diego Della Valle’s Political Profile Women's Wear Daily.
  38. ^ Andrea Cuomo (18 January 2013), Il Prof ha deluso i suoi sponsor: i grandi capitali lo lasciano solo Il Giornale.
  39. ^ Alexander Fury (23 September 2016), Diego Della Valle of Tod’s on Design, Politics — and Tattoos T: The New York Times Style Magazine.
  40. ^ Andrew Roberts (1 March 2009), Power Player W.
  41. ^ Andrea Lee (1 September 2011), The Tycoon Next Door W.
  42. ^ Martino Carrera (31 May 2024), Tod’s Diego and Andrea Della Valle Receive Arquata del Tronto Honorary Citizenship Women's Wear Daily.
  43. ^ Kate Betts (8 March 2006), Driving Force: Diego Della Valle Time.
  44. ^ Horacio Silva (17 October 2010), Profile in Style: Diego Della Valle New York Times.
  45. ^ Rachel Sanderson (16 February 2018), Tod’s owner Diego Della Valle: ‘Millennials are not for everyone’ Financial Times.
  46. ^ James Reginato (9 March 2018), How Diego Della Valle Took Tod’s from Small-Town Cobbler to Global Success Vanity Fair.
  47. ^ Billy Joel Sells Miami Mansion To Italian Billionaire Diego Della Valle Forbes, 12 June 2013.
  48. ^ Peter Aspden (12 August 2011), Lunch with the FT: Diego Della Valle Financial Times.
  49. ^ James Reginato (9 March 2018), How Diego Della Valle Took Tod’s from Small-Town Cobbler to Global Success Vanity Fair.
  50. ^ Andrew Roberts (1 March 2009), Power Player W.
  51. ^ Liz Alderman (8 October 2010), A Shoemaker That Walks but Never Runs New York Times.
  52. ^ Kate Betts (8 March 2006), Driving Force: Diego Della Valle Time.
  53. ^ James Reginato (9 March 2018), How Diego Della Valle Took Tod’s from Small-Town Cobbler to Global Success Vanity Fair.
  54. ^ Andrew Roberts (1 March 2009), Power Player W.
  55. ^ James Reginato (9 March 2018), How Diego Della Valle Took Tod’s from Small-Town Cobbler to Global Success Vanity Fair.


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