Diego Della Valle Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tod's s.p.a. Milan

Wharton Speaker >> Biography

Diego Della Valle was born in Sant’Elpidio a Mare near Fermo, Italy region Le Marche, on December 30th, 1953. After studying law in Bologna and a brief spell working in the United States, in 1975 he joined his father in the family shoemaking business.

As well as gaining valuable knowledge of the shoe production process, Diego Della Valle also had a leading role in determining the company strategy and in the creation of brands to identify the company’s products. He developed an innovative marketing plan that became the model for the worldwide expansion of the family business, and this has since been followed by many in the luxury goods industry.

Since October 2000, Diego Della Valle has been the President and CEO of Tod’s S.p.A., the new Group he created. Tod’s S.p.A. is now quoted on the Milan stock exchange and is a world leader in the luxury accessories sector. Its brands include Tod’s, Hogan, Fay and Roger Vivier.

In 1996 Diego Della Valle became a Cavaliere del Lavoro (the highest honour the Italian Republic bestows for professional achievement) and in 2000 he received an honorary degree in Business and Economics from the University of Ancona.

Diego Della Valle is on the board of several companies including LVMH, Ferrari, Generali (the largest Italian insurance company) and eyewear manufacturer Marcolin. He is a shareholder and member of the shareholders’ agreement of investment bank Mediobanca and RCS, the publishing company of Corriere della Sera. He is also a shareholder of Italian movie studios Cinecittà, Saks Fifth Avenue, Piaggio, Bialetti, Nuovo Trasporti Viaggiatori and the Charme Investments SCA.

Diego Della Valle is a member of the fundraising committee of the Umberto Veronesi Cancer Research Foundation and President of the Board of Directors of the Della Valle Onlus Foundation, a charity engaged in funding schooling for children.