Show full PR text LUCA DI MONTEZEMOLO NAMED EUROPEAN MANAGER OF 2012

European Business Press Federation honours Ferrari Chairman



The European Business Press Federation (EBP), an association of Europe's leading economic and finance publications, has named Luca di Montezemolo "European Manager of the Year" for 2012 during its annual meeting at Como. The EBP, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, is made up of 48 of Europe's leading business newspapers and magazines from 27 nations. Its members include The Wall Street Journal Europe, Handelsblatt, Les Echos, and Milano Finanza amongst others.



The "European Manager of the Year" award has been in existence since 1991 and is chosen by direct vote of the editors of the European Business Press Federation's member publications. Luca di Montezemolo was selected because of the extraordinary work he has done in his 20 years as Chairman of Ferrari, work that has radically transformed the company and turned it into one of the world's most famous and successful brands.



During the presentation ceremony, Mr Montezemolo was described as having completely renovated the Ferrari range, returned the Formula 1 team to victory and obtained incredible commercial results that doubled revenues yet retained the brand's signature exclusivity, since 1991. Another achievement mentioned was his successful geographical expansion of Ferrari's markets with the result that it is now present in 60 countries worldwide.



Mr Montezemolo's work to improve the quality of life of workers at the Maranello facility was also lauded during the ceremony. The Ferrari factory has now become a symbol of excellence in that regard, thanks to its new employee-oriented production areas which were designed by leading architects and the services it offers its staff and their families. These achievements have already won Ferrari the title of Best Place to Work in Europe, in fact.



The award has been presented also because of his entrepreneurial activities in his role as President of NTV, the first private train company in Italy operating high-speed rail services, as well as of the Charme fund, controlling prestigious brands in the Italian design sector (Poltrona Frau, Cappellini), but also leader in the biomedical field and in telediagnosis of traffic data.

Awards are handed out in the automotive industry all the time. Most of them, however, are handed out to one organization or publication's "Car of the Year". Ferrari , however, has just been handed another kind of award altogether.Or rather its chairman has. Luca di Montezemolo was named by the European Business Press Federation as the European Manager of the Year. The organization represents over 50 publications in 27 countries, including The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times and Milano Finanza. It cited Montezemolo's 20 years at the helm of Ferrari , during which he returned the Scuderia to victory and doubled the company's financial revenues, all the while expanding into sixty countries around the world.Over the years Montezemolo has also chaired the entire Fiat group, started Italy's first private railroad, managed its Olympic committee and presided over the most influential business lobbies.Past recipients of the award have included former BMW and Volkswagen chief executive Bernd Pischetsrieder, Porsche chief Wendelin Wiedeking as well as the CEOs of Ikea and Nokia. See the official press release below