Andrea Guerra (businessman)


Andrea Guerra is an Italian businessman.
Guerra was CEO of Luxottica from July 2004 to August 2014. Before that, he worked for ten years in Merloni Elettrodomestici, now Indesit Company, rising to managing director. Since October 2016, he has been executive chairman of Eataly.

Early life

Guerra was born in Milan. He attended St. George's British International School before graduating with a degree in Business from Sapienza University of Rome in 1989.

Career

Guerra began his professional activity with Marriott Italia, where he rose to the office of marketing manager. In 1994 he joined Merloni Elettrodomestici, where for six years he held responsible jobs in sales, production and central services.
In 2000 he was appointed group's CEO, replacing outgoing manager Francesco Caio which was at the end of his mandate, and thus became the Italian youngest CEO of a listed company.
Under his guidance, Merloni Elettrodomestici increased sales each year and closed 2003 with €3,008 million, 21% more than the previous year.
In 2004 Andrea Guerra left this position to join Luxottica, and his place at Merloni Elettrodomestici was taken over by general manager Marco Milani. In addition to official recognition from Merloni Elettrodomestici for the results achieved during his tenure, Andrea Guerra was included in the 2004 Financial Times list of "25 business stars".

Luxottica

Guerra joined Luxottica in 2004 as CEO, in place of Roberto Chemello, who had held that position since 1985.
Under Guerra's stewardship, the value of Luxottica's share price rose from €14 in 2003 to €40 in 2014, and company sales almost tripled, from €2.8 billion in 2003 to over €7 billion in 2013.
Andrea Guerra stayed his position until 1 September 2014, when Leonardo del Vecchio, Luxottica's founder and chairman announced his departure at the end of the board of directors term.
In recognition of his work at Luxottica, Guerra was named the second-best CEO in Italy in the 2014 Thomson Reuters classification, behind Mario Greco, Assicurazioni Generali's CEO.

Other positions

Guerra is a member of the committee of Italian Strategic Fund, a member of boards of Amplifon S.p.A. and Ariston Thermo S.p.A., and a shareholder of online newspaper Linkiesta. He also sits on the boards of directors of Bocconi University and Save the Children Italia Onlus. Over the years he has held the position of director on the boards of Parmalat S.p.A., Banca Nazionale del Lavoro and Dea Capital S.p.A. In the February 2014, when Matteo Renzi's government was being formed, some Italian media suggested his possible involvement in the government team, this possibility denied by Guerra himself.

Private life

Guerra is married, and has three children.