Mario Moretti Polegato
Chairman
GEOX Group
Italy |
Born in 1952 in Crocetta del Montello (Treviso), after completing his studies in oenology Mario Moretti Polegato joined the family business, which has been focused on agriculture and wine production for three generations and has became one of the most important wine companies in Italy.
In the mid-90s, he invented and patented the technology that allows feet to breathe when they are in contact with rubber soles. Thus he created Geox, the shoe that breathes, combining the made in Italy style, technology and the wellbeing of feet.
Mario Moretti Polegato is the Chairman of Geox Group, which has been ranked the 1st footwear brand in Italy and the 2nd worldwide in the life-style casual footwear segment in 2009. The Group Geox counts 30,000 employees, direct or indirect, it exports its products to 103 countries and it was listed in the Milan stock exchange on December 1st 2004.
Mario Moretti Polegato was nominated Entrepreneur of the year 2002 by Ernst&Young, the Italian stock exchange and Italian Financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, for the best national and international strategic use of market levers and opportunities, combined with constant innovation.
Mario Moretti Polegato was named “Innovator of the Year 2010” at the CNBC European Business Leaders Awards organized by CNBC in partnership with the Financial Times - for his ability to develop a fashionable brand with new technology.
Mr. Polegato personally dedicates much time to teaching the “Intellectual Property” in schools and universities, both in Italy and abroad. This commitment has earned him the title of “Affiliate Professor of Entrepreneurship” from ESCP-EAP in Paris, one of the leading international business schools. During the past months, Mario Moretti Polegato has taught at the University of Florence, University of Pisa, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Federico II University of Naples, Catholic University of Lisbon, MIT of Boston, University of Cambridge, Columbia University, Peking University, Hong Kong University and Moscow University. He is also a member of the International Advisory Council of Bocconi University (in Milan).
| 1994 |
He receives the Italian Creativity Award from Confindustria (Italian Industrials Association). |
| 1995 |
He is appointed “Commendatore Nazionale” of the Italian Republic (a title conferred in recognition of the results obtained in the footwear sector). |
| 1997 |
He is appointed Honorary General Consul of Romania for North-Eastern Italy. |
| 2000 |
He is appointed “Cavaliere al Merito dell’Ordine Nazionale” of Romania. |
| 2002 |
He is appointed Entrepreneur of the year 2002 from Ernst & Young, the Italian Stock Exchange and Italian financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore. |
| 2002 |
He becomes member of international no profit association Aspen Institute Italia. |
| 2003 |
He receives the Honoris Causa Master in Integrated Logistics and Supply Chain Integrated Management at the University of Verona, Economics department. |
| 2003 |
He receives the Doctor Honoris Causa in Agricultural Studies and Veterinary Science at the University of Banatului, Timisoara – Romania. |
| 2003 |
He is elected Proboviro of Confindustria (Italian Industrials Association) for the next 4 years. |
| 2003 |
He is appointed “Best Italian Entrepreneur in the World” by Ernst & Young Global. |
| 2003 |
He becomes member of Board of Directors of Siparex Italia, Private Equity Italian French fund. |
| 2004 |
Founder and member of Board of Directors of ONLUS “Il Ponte del Sorriso”, Italian no profit association established by UIL (Italian Workers Union), which helps needy Romanian minor orphans. |
| 2004 |
He receives the Marketing 2004 Award from the Italian Marketing Association for the remarkable diffusion, promotion and development of the marketing culture. |
| 2004 |
He receives the “Premio Fedeltà al Lavoro” (Loyalty to Work) from the Italian Footwear Producers’ Association as best footwear entrepreneur. |
| 2005 |
He is appointed “Cavaliere del Lavoro” by the Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (honorary title conferred in recognition of the good results obtained in the footwear sector).
He is elected member of Governing Council of UPA (Association of Advertising High Spenders).
He is conferred the honorary degree in Chemistry by the Cà Foscari University of Venice. |
| 2006 |
He is appointed “Grand’Ufficiale al Merito della Repubblica Italiana” by the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.
He is conferred the Honorary Degree by the CUOA Foundation, Vicenza. |
| 2007 |
He is elected member of the Managing Committee of Comitato Leonardo - Italian Quality Committee.
He receives the “Premio Leone del Veneto” from the “Ufficio di Presidenza del Consiglio Regionale del Veneto”.
Confindustria appointes him Member of Council. |
| 2008 |
Confindustria appointes him Member of the Executive Council, for which he is still in charge of. |
| 2008 |
He receives the “Premio Internazionale AEREC alla Carriera” from the European Academy for Economic and Cultural Relations.
He becomes a member and supporter of the World Economic Forum, the independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world. Mr. Polegato regularly attends the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. |
| 2009 |
He is appointed member of International Advisory Council of the Bocconi University, placed in Milan. |
| 2010 |
He is named “Innovator of the Year 2010” at the CNBC European Business Leaders Awards organized by CNBC in partnership with the Financial Times - for his ability to develop a fashionable brand with new technology. |
| 2011 |
He becomes supporter of "Destination of Promise", an association supporting the development and the future of children in need of help. Founders and Co-Chairmen are Alison and Duncan Niederauer, Chief Executive Officer of NYSE Euronext (New York Stock Exchange). |
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