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October 25th

Palazzo Mezzanotte
Piazza degli Affari, 6 - Milano

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Versace

Santo VERSACE

Chairman, Gianni Versace

Santo Versace, the 58-year-old chairman of the Versace group, also fills the role of managing director. In the two-year period 1998-1999, he served as president of the Chamber of Fashion. Born in December 1944 at Reggio Calabria, he graduated from the University of Messina with a degree in economics in 1968. Experience in a number of jobs contributed to his professional formation. He worked initially for a bank, Credito Italiano at Reggio Calabria, and then taught economic geography. Afterward, there was a stint as a freelancer. He opened an office as business consultant, while dividing his time between Reggio Calabria and Milan, where his younger brother Gianni was beginning his outstanding career. In 1976, he joined forces with his brother and the following year they founded the Gianni Versace brand. In July 1997, the company was ready for listing on the exchange under the guidance of Morgan Stanley. But on July 15 of that year, Gianni Versace was killed in Miami. The tragedy forced a complete rethinking of the company's strategy. After a difficult restructuring, involving the sell-off of real estate and the closing of various flagship stores (including the one in Milan, which Vuitton acquired, and the London store, which became a Gucci shop), the group succeeded in stabilizing its situation, while maintaining sales at the level of 500 million euros.