Giovanni Agnelli

Giovanni Agnelli ( born August 13, 1866 in Villar Perosa, † December 16, 1945 in Turin ) was an Italian entrepreneur. He was one of the eight founding members of the automobile company Fiat.

Life

Giovanni was the only son of Edoardo Agnelli (senior), a respected farmer in the area of Villar Perosa, and Aniceta Frisetti. After school he attended from 1884 to 1886 the military school in Modena and left them as a lieutenant in the Italian cavalry. Shortly afterwards he married Clara Boselli. On January 2, 1892, his son Edoardo Agnelli was born.

From 1895 until his death in 1945 he was mayor of Villar Perosa.

On 11 July 1899 he founded with seven other persons Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino the ( FIAT ). In 1900 he was executive director ( Administratore Delegato ) of the automobile company. From 1920 to 1943 he was its president.

In 1923 he was appointed for life member of the Senate of the Italian Empire ( Senato del Regno ). He has received several awards, including the Grand Officer of the Order of Knights of St.. Mauritius and Lazarus ( 1921) and Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Italy ( 1932).