Francesca Bortolotto Possati is an Italian entrepreneur, author, interior designer, philanthropist and hotelier.
She is the chief executive officer of the
Bauer Hotel group in
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
, and the granddaughter of Arnaldo Bennati, a
Ligurian shipbuilder who purchased the Bauer Hotel in 1930.
She was the only female CEO in the city of Venice as of 2008. A native of Venice, she has also been involved in the city's cultural life for many years.
Early life
Bortolotto Possati was raised in Venice, and moved to the United States in 1982 with her then-husband, Marco Possati.
[Sylvers, Eric (14 November 2008)]
"Managing in Venice"
'' Forbes''. Retrieved 6 June 2014. During her time in the U.S., she lived in Texas, Michigan, and New York, and she earned two degrees in English.
Business life
Following her studies, she settled in New York for a time, where she became an independent consultant for interior designers and decorators.
Upon her return to Venice in the late 1990s, she started a real estate agency, but soon after took control of the family estates at the Bauer Hotel.
Public life
As well as a hotelier, Bortolotto Possati is a public figure and a patron of the arts, with a particular focus on Venice. She is on the board of
Save Venice Inc.
Save Venice Inc. is a U.S. non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of art and architecture and the preservation of cultural heritage sites in Venice, Italy. Headquartered in New York City, it has an office in Venice, a chapter in Bos ...
, a foundation dedicated to restoring important works of architecture and art in Venice.
She sponsors the Zuecca Project Space (a non-profit area on the
Giudecca island that hosts art exhibitions and events in conjunction with local and international art communities).
Bortolotto Possati presents the Ca' Foscari Award at Venice's international literary festival.
She has published a recipe book, ''Celebrate in Venice'', co-authored by Csaba dalla Zorza.
["Francesca Bortolotto Possati's Book Launch Party"](_blank)
'' Tatler''. 7 March 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
Bortolotto Possati serves on the board of Altagamma, which recognizes Italian companies that have achieved international renown.
Personal life
Bortolotto Possati divorced from her husband, Marco Possati, in 1993;
she remains unmarried. She has two children, Alessandro and Olimpia.
[Hainey, Michael (October 2010)]
"The World of Francesca Bortolotto Possati"
. '' Departures''. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
See also
*
List of Italians
Listed below are Italian people of note, who are identified with the Italian nation through residential, legal, historical, or cultural means, grouped by their area of notability.
Acting
Actors
* Stefano Accorsi (born 1971), actor, ...
*
Lists of writers
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bortolotto Possati, Francesca
Year of birth missing (living people)
Place of birth missing (living people)
20th-century births
20th-century Italian non-fiction writers
20th-century Italian women writers
21st-century Italian writers
21st-century Italian women writers
Chief executives in the hospitality industry
Italian cookbook writers
Hotel executives
Italian chief executives
Italian expatriates in the United States
Italian food writers
Italian hoteliers
Italian interior designers
Italian philanthropists
Living people
Patrons of literature
Businesspeople from Venice
Real estate brokers
Italian women company founders
Women corporate directors
Women hoteliers
Women cookbook writers