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Sergio Marchionne
Photo: The original uploader was Dgtmedia - Simone at Italian Wikipedia ., CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons19

Sergio Marchionne

Italian-Canadian businessman (1952–2018)

Sergio Marchionne (Italian: [ˈsɛrdʒo marˈkjɔnne]; 17 June 1952 – 25 July 2018) was an Italian-Canadian businessman, widely known for his turnarounds of the automakers Fiat and Chrysler, his business acumen and his outspoken and often frank approach, especially when dealing with unpalatable issues related to his companies and the automotive industry.2

From Wikipedia’s article on Sergio Marchionne (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Born Jun 17, 1952, died Jul 25, 2018.1

About

Marchionne was the chairman of CNH Industrial, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), the chairman and CEO of FCA US LLC, the chairman and CEO of Ferrari, and the chairman of Maserati. He was the chairman of Swiss-based SGS and vice chairman of UBS from 2008 to 2010, as well as the chairman of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association for 2012 (first elected in January 2006). He was a member of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, and the chairman of the Italian branch of the Council for the United States and Italy.

Noted for his keen observations of the automotive industry, Marchionne offered insights ranging from frank criticism of his company's own products to a highly regarded 2015 presentation titled Confessions of a Capital Junkie, which extolled the benefits of industry consolidation.

Marchionne was widely recognized for turning around Fiat Group to become one of the fastest-growing companies in the auto industry, in less than two years. In 2009, he was instrumental in Fiat Group forming a strategic alliance with the ailing US automaker Chrysler, with the support of the U.S. and Canadian governments and trade unions. Less than two years later, following its emergence from Chapter 11, Chrysler returned to profitability, repaying some of its government loans. In 2014, Fiat and Chrysler merged into a new holding company, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, then the seventh-largest automobile manufacturer in the world.

Following complications from surgery, Marchionne resigned from all of his positions in July 2018, and he died a few days later. The American business channel CNBC described Marchionne as a "legend" of the automotive industry, while the British newspaper Financial Times considered him as having been "one of the boldest business leaders of his generation".

From Wikipedia’s article on Sergio Marchionne, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2

Companies

Early life and education

  • Date not recordedOdette School of Business3
  • Date not recordedUniversity of Windsor Master of Business Administration3
  • Date not recordedYork University3
  • Date not recordedOsgoode Hall Law School3
  • Date not recordedUniversity of Toronto3

Marchionne was born in Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy, the son of Concezio Marchionne, from Cugnoli (Abruzzo), and Maria Zuccon from Carnizza (today Krnica, Croatia) near Pula in Istria. His father served as a Carabiniere in Istria, where he met his future wife. Marchionne's grandfather, Giacomo Zuccon, was killed in September 1943 by Yugoslav Partisans near Barban in Istria, while his uncle Giuseppe Zuccon was killed by German troops the same year. In 1945, when the region was occupied by the Yugoslav army, Marchionne's parents moved to Chieti in Abruzzo, where Sergio was born.

At 13, Marchionne emigrated with his family to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where they had relatives. Carrying dual Canadian and Italian citizenship, he spoke fluent English, French and Italian. Marchionne was a Canadian certified general accountant (FCGA), barrister, and a fellow of the Certified General Accountants of Ontario.

Marchionne attended St. Michael's College School, before completing his undergraduate studies in philosophy at the University of Toronto and earning a bachelor of commerce degree (1979) and an MBA (1985) from the University of Windsor as well as a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School of York University (1983). He received an honorary doctorate from Walsh College (2013).

From Wikipedia’s article on Sergio Marchionne (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Career

Occupation: entrepreneur, business executive, lawyer, accountant, industrialist.9

From 1983 to 1985, he worked as an accountant and tax specialist for Deloitte & Touche in Canada. From 1985 to 1988, he was Group Controller and then Director of Corporate Development at the Lawson Mardon Group in Toronto. In 1989, he moved to Glenex Industries where he worked for two years as executive vice president.

From 1990 to 1992, he was Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer at Acklands Ltd. Between 1992 and 1994, he served as Vice President of Legal and Corporate Development and Chief Financial Officer of the Lawson Group, which was acquired by Alusuisse Lonza (Algroup) in 1994.

From 1994 to 2000, he worked at Algroup (Alusuisse Lonza Group Limited) based in Zürich, where he became chief executive officer in 1997. He then took the helm of the Lonza Group in Basel, after its spin-off from Algroup, serving first as chief executive officer and managing director (2000–2001) and then as chairman (2002).

In February 2002, he became chief executive officer and managing director of SGS S.A. of Geneva where, in March 2006, he was appointed chairman. Marchionne was elected as an independent member of the board of directors of Fiat S.p.A. in May 2003, until being appointed CEO in 2004.

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Chrysler

In June 2009, when Chrysler emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Fiat Group received a 20% stake in Chrysler Group LLC and Marchionne was appointed CEO, replacing Robert Nardelli.

In February 2011 Marchionne sparked widespread controversy in the US when he remarked at the J.D. Power & Associates International Automotive Roundtable that Chrysler's bail-out loans from the U.S. government carried "shyster rates". Marchionne immediately issued a public apology, stating "I regret the remark and consider it inappropriate" and going on to explain that "As the only parties willing to underwrite the risk associated with Chrysler's recovery plan, the two governments [U.S. and Canadian] levied interest rates that, although appropriate at the time, are above current market conditions." In July 2011, following the purchase of the ownership interests held by Canada and the US Treasury, Fiat's stake in Chrysler increased to 53.5% and in September 2011, Marchionne was also elected Chairman of Chrysler. Fiat and Chrysler officially merged on 1 August 2014.

Following the 2015 Volkswagen emissions scandal, in January 2017, the EPA also accused Fiat Chrysler of installing software that allowed excess diesel emissions to go undetected in their EcoDiesel engines. Marchionne denied any wrongdoing. He was critical of the EPA and rejected comparisons between Fiat Chrysler and Volkswagen.

From Wikipedia’s article on Sergio Marchionne (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Personal life

  • BornJun 17, 1952, Chieti10
  • DiedJul 25, 2018, Zurich11
  • CitizenshipItaly, Canada12
  • ResidenceSwitzerland13

Awards

  • 2006Order of Minerva14
  • Date not recordedOrder of Merit for Labour14

Sources

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