Wanted in Rome
09 Mar, 2021
Giovanni “Gianni” Agnelli, head of Fiat and an icon of Italian political and economic affairs, was a force to be reckoned with.
A man of many names: L’Avvocato, Prince of Italy, King of Italy, and the Rake of the Riviera, Agnelli was not only a symbol of economic growth and Italian excellence but of an
unwavering reckless passion for life.
On his 100th birthday, Agnelli remains a defining figure in Italian history.
Early life
Agnelli was
born on 12 March 1921, in Turin, to parents Edoardo Agnelli and Virginia Bourbon del Monte. He was
named after his grandfather, Senatore Giovanni Agnelli, the founder of the Fiat S.p.A. automotive company. The eldest son of seven children, Agnelli grew up in an atmosphere of wealth and high tastes. All of the Agnelli children were expected to behave well, but Agnelli was a mischievous child. In Nick Hooker’s 2018 documentary