Marco Piccinini

Marco Piccinini was born in Rome in 1952. He is a national of the Principality of Monaco, where he has been living since 1972. Piccinini is both the Ambassador of Monaco to the People’s Republic of China (appointed January 2010), and the Ambassador of Monaco to India[1].

Personal

Picinnini's father Arnaldo was a pioneer in the Italian electronic industry and in the 1950's founded an industrial group which included innovative brands such as VOXSON (TV, car radios, hi-fi etc) and VIDEOCOLOR (colour TV picture tubes and other hi-tech electronic components). At the end of the 1960s, due to Marco’s father declining health, the family disposed of their interests in the various industrial activities and decided to move to Monaco where, after his father's death, Marco focused on his two main interests, finance and motor racing.

Marco studied architecture in Rome, where also begun his involvement in motor racing by cooperating with ‘‘De Sanctis’’, the Formula 3 constructor and racing team. He also received a training in the Techniques of International Negotiations at the Institut des Hautes Etudes Internationales in Geneva.

Married to Mary Ahlem, he has a child, his hobbies include skiing and sailing, where he distinguished himself by successfully participating in several international regattas.

Professional career / Sport & Business

Société Monégasque de Constructions Automobiles MP

• 1974 - co-founded the first Monegasque racing car manufacturer - Société Monégasque de Constructions Automobiles MP - which produced a few Formula 3 single seaters.

Ferrari

• 1977 - appointed by Enzo Ferrari as his representative for Formula 1 matters and shortly afterward appointed as the ‘‘Direttore Sportivo’’ of the Ferrari Team.

• 1978-1988, Motor Sport Director of Ferrari and Team Manager of the Formula 1 Team. In this capacity he was one of the architects of the ‘‘Concorde Agreement’’ , the charter governing regulatory as well as financial aspects of the Formula 1 World Championship.

• Since 1983, Member of the Board of Directors of Ferrari SpA.

CSAI - Commissione Sportiva Automobilistica Italiana

• 1993-1994, President of CSAI, the Italian Motor Sport Federation and elected in 1994 as a Vice President of FIA, the international Motor Sport Governing Body.

Prada Challenge for America’s Cup

• 1997-2000, Executive Deputy Chairman and Challenge Representative of the PRADA Team during the America’s Cup XXX (Auckland 2000). Luna Rossa won the Louis Vuitton Cup and became the finalist against Team New Zealand.

• Member of the Board of ACCA (America’s Cup Challengers Association);

• Chairman of the marketing Committee of ACCA;

• Executive Chairman of the Challenger of Record Management for America’s Cup XXXI (i.e. the challengers association), the organiser of the Challenger Selection Series, also known as the Louis Vuitton Cup.

FOA – Formula One Administration

• 1998-99, Deputy CEO of FOA and FOM - Formula One Management (commercial rights holders for the Formula 1 World Championship), the organization created and led by Bernie Ecclestone.

FIA – Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile

• 1998-2008 Deputy President of FIA, chaired the World Motor Sport Council, the executive body which regulates all motor sport disciplines worldwide.

Monaco Sporting Associations

• Since 1981, member of the Board of Directors of Automobile Club de Monaco, the organiser of the Monaco Grand Prix and Monte-Carlo Rally.

• Since 1999, member of the Executive Committee of the Yacht Club de Monaco, supervising international relations and marketing activities. Also a member of the Constitution Committee of ISAF - International Sailing Federation.

• Since 1999, member of the Committee of MCCC – Monte-Carlo Country Club - the organiser of the Tennis Masters Series Monte Carlo – dealing in particular with marketing and media rights negotiations concerning the Tournament, one of the ATP Super 9 Events.

• 2003-2009, member of the Board of Directors of AS Monaco Football Club, several times winner of the French Premier League and finalist of the 2004 UEFA Champion’s League.

Professional Career /Corporate & Finance

Société de Crédit et de Banque de Monaco (Socrédit)

• 1975 - appointed to the Board of Directors of Société de Crédit et de Banque de Monaco (Socrédit), then one of the most active Monegasque banks and the subsidiary of an international financial group.

Finter Bank Zurich

• Since 1989, member of the Board of Directors of this medium size Swiss banking group, specialized in private banking and asset/funds management:

• Chairman of the Remuneration Committee;

• Member of the Audit Committee.

• Member of the Executive and Credit Committee;

• Chairman of FinterLife, an insurance company owned by Finter Bank Zurich and Vaudoise, the Swiss insurance group.

• Vice-chairman of Finter Bank & Trust Bahamas.

SBM - Société des Bains de Mer à Monaco

• From 1998 until 2009, Member of the Board of Directors of SBM, the largest Monegasque company, listed on the Paris stock exchange. SBM is the main resort and luxury hotel operator of the Principality of Monaco, including the Hotel de Paris, Hotel Hermitage, Les Casinos de Monte-Carlo, the Monte-Carlo Sporting Club etc. Also served as chairman of the Human Resources Committee of the Board.

Poltrona Frau SpA

• 2006 - at Company’s IPO, appointed to the Board of Directors of the Group, one of the world’s leading producers of luxury furnishing under four principal brands, Poltrona Frau, Cassina, Cappellini and Alias:

• Lead independent director;

• Chairman of the Remuneration Committee;

• Member of the Audit Committee.

Other positions

Piccinini serves as a Member of the Board of Directors of:

• Church’s Shoes Ltd.[2]: the English luxury shoes maker, member of the PRADA Group.
• Compagnie Monégasque de Banque [3]: the international private bank subsidiary of Mediobanca.
• Hôtel Olden AG, Gstaad.
• Italcementi S.p.A : one of the leading worldwide construction materials producer. (Deputy Chairman)
• SEPAC SAM, Monaco.
• S.M.E.T.T.- Société Monégasque pour l’Exploitation du Tournoi de Tennis de Monte-Carlo.
• Villa Nazareth Foundation (the Vatican): an educational institution active since 1946.