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| Giorgio Squinzi | |
|---|---|
| Name | Giorgio Squinzi |
| Birth date | 6 February 1943 |
| Birth place | Milan, Italy |
| Death date | 8 October 2019 |
| Death place | Milan, Italy |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, industrialist |
| Known for | Chairman of Mapei |
| Spouse | Valeria Squinzi |
| Children | Marco Squinzi |
Giorgio Squinzi was an Italian entrepreneur and industrialist known for transforming a family business into the global chemical and construction group Mapei. He was influential in Italian business circles, active in Confindustria and involved in professional football through club ownership and leadership roles. Squinzi's career bridged manufacturing, sports, and civic institutions in Lombardy, Milan, and beyond.
Squinzi was born in Milan into a family connected to building materials manufacturing and trained academically and professionally at institutions in Lombardy and Italy. He studied engineering and business-related subjects, engaging with technical networks linked to University of Milan and industrial associations such as Assolombarda and Confindustria Giovani. Early exposure to family enterprise and regional industry clusters informed his subsequent leadership at Mapei and interactions with trade organizations like Confapi and international bodies including European Union industrial forums.
Squinzi's professional trajectory moved from technical roles into executive leadership, spanning manufacturing, chemical engineering, and international trade. He expanded operations through mergers and acquisitions, integrating businesses across Germany, France, Spain, and the United States. His tenure involved dealings with suppliers and clients in sectors represented by Federchimica, Confartigianato, and multinational partners such as BASF, Henkel, and 3M. Squinzi also participated in advisory capacities for institutions including Banca d'Italia-linked forums, OECD industrial committees, and Italian export promotion agencies like ICE.
Under Squinzi's stewardship, Mapei grew from a domestic adhesive maker into a multinational group with subsidiaries in Europe, North America, South America, and Asia. He oversaw product diversification into chemical specialties and construction systems, competing with corporations like Sika, MBCC Group, and Cemex. Mapei invested in research facilities collaborating with Politecnico di Milano, University of Bologna, and international research centers; the company sponsored projects at institutions such as Eurac Research and ENEA. Squinzi's corporate governance engaged boards with figures from UniCredit, Intesa Sanpaolo, and industrial federations including Confindustria Ceramica.
Squinzi's sporting involvement included ownership and executive roles in professional football, aligning him with clubs and personalities across Italian and European football. He invested in U.S. Alessandria Calcio 1912-style regional initiatives and later led efforts linked to clubs with heritage comparable to AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Juventus F.C. in governance discussions. Squinzi supported development programs akin to those run by FIGC and engaged with competitions such as Serie A, Serie B, and Coppa Italia. He was associated with ownership groups of Unione Sportiva Sassari Torres 1903 and similar Sardinian initiatives, liaising with administrators from Lega Serie A, UEFA, and former players turned executives such as Arrigo Sacchi, Gianluigi Buffon, and Franco Baresi.
Squinzi's family roots remained central to his life; he maintained residence in Milan and ties to Sardinia through business and sporting interests. He was married and had children who later assumed roles in corporate governance at Mapei, paralleling succession patterns seen in families like the Agnelli family and the Benetton family. His son participated in management alongside advisors from Banca IMI and legal counsel familiar with firms such as BonelliErede and Gianni & Origoni.
Squinzi engaged in philanthropic activities supporting cultural and research institutions, collaborating with foundations similar to Fondazione Cariplo and sponsoring programs at universities including Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and the University of Padua. He served on boards and councils that connected industry with public policy, interacting with entities such as Camera di Commercio di Milano, Associazione Industriali, and national arts organizations like Teatro alla Scala. His public presence included participation in conferences featuring figures from European Commission industrial portfolios and contributions to dialogues involving Italian Prime Ministers and ministers responsible for economic affairs.
Squinzi died in Milan in October 2019, leaving a legacy as a builder of an international industrial group and an influential figure in Italian sport-business relations. His passing was noted by leaders across Confindustria, Federchimica, and football institutions such as Lega Serie A and FIGC, while Mapei continued under family and professional management comparable to other multigenerational European firms. His impact remains visible in industrial research collaborations, sponsored cultural programs, and the restructuring of professional football ownership models in Italy.
Category:1943 births Category:2019 deaths Category:Italian businesspeople Category:Italian football chairmen and investors