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

Biography

Family, youth and studies

Diego Della Valle is the elder son of Dorino Della Valle and grandson of Filippo Della Valle. Filippo started his shoemaking business in the 1920s, which Diego expanded into the now famous Tod's brand. In his younger days, Diego studied Law in the

University of Bologna The University of Bologna ( it, Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, UNIBO) is a public research university in Bologna, Italy. Founded in 1088 by an organised guild of students (''studiorum''), it is the oldest university in continu ...

having got that academic degree in 1975, conciliating since 2000 the career and the marketing of the family's shoemaking business. 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 Giovanni "Gianni" Agnelli (; 12 March 192124 January 2003), nicknamed ("The Lawyer"), was an Italian industrialist and principal shareholder of Fiat. As the head of Fiat, he controlled 4.4% of Italy's GDP, 3.1% of its industrial workforce a ...

, 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.

Later

Diego now 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.

Other interests

Diego sits on the board of a number of companies, such as Ferrari, Maserati, Banca Nazionale del Lavoro and LVMH.

= Sporting diligence

= Diego bought the Tuscan football club ACF Fiorentina in 2002 owning it since that year, and owns the fashion brand Maison Schiaparelli which he is reviving. He sold ACF Fiorentina to Rocco Commisso at the end of the 2018/2019 season.

= Historical culture

= In 2013, he announced that he will take the restoration of the ''

Colosseum The Colosseum ( ; it, Colosseo ) is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world t ...

'', of Rome – by the costs of more than €30 mi.

Diego vs. Silvio Berlusconi

Diego has publicly attacked

Silvio Berlusconi Silvio Berlusconi ( ; ; born 29 September 1936) is an Italian media tycoon and politician who served as Prime Minister of Italy in four governments from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006 and 2008 to 2011. He was a member of the Chamber of Deputies f ...

for the over-taxing of big business and his failure to support smaller Italian businesses. In return, Berlusconi has talked of suing Diego for defamation.

References

University of Bologna alumni 20th-century Italian lawyers Italian expatriates in the United States 1953 births Italian chief executives Directors of LVMH Living people People involved in the 2006 Italian football scandal Italian industrialists Italian billionaires 20th-century Italian businesspeople 21st-century Italian businesspeople Italian football chairmen and investors Italian investors ACF Fiorentina chairmen and investors Della Valle family People from Sant'Elpidio a Mare {{Italy-business-bio-stub