An Executive Who Was a Regular in Women's Magazines

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo (67), who led Ferrari as chairman for 23 years, retired on September 10, 2014.

Born in Bologna in 1947, Montezemolo graduated from the Faculty of Law at Sapienza University of Rome, studied for a master's degree at Columbia University in the United States, and then joined Fiat. In 1973, he transferred to the subsidiary Ferrari and became a close aide to founder Enzo Ferrari. He subsequently served as manager of Scuderia Ferrari F1 and led Niki Lauda to the Drivers' Championship in 1975.

He became Ferrari chairman in 1991. While dramatically improving the company's financial situation, he also strove with director Jean Todt in F1, bringing the Drivers' Championship after a 21-year hiatus in 2000. From 2004 to 2010, he also served as chairman of Fiat.

At the same time, he served as chairman of the Italian Confederation of Industries and, together with Diego Della Valle, chairman of the luxury shoemaker Tod's, established Italy's first high-speed rail company, demonstrating his multifaceted activities in the Italian business world.

With his handsome looks, he frequently graced the pages of women's magazines during his vacations, and was a popular subject for impressionist Dario Ballantini, a leading Italian comedian. Because of this, he was widely known even to Italians outside the automotive fan community.

Montezemolo's future plans have yet to be revealed. However, there was a theory circulating in Italy in 2014 that he might become the chairman of the newly formed Alitalia, in partnership with Emirates Airline.

A Human Resource Development System That Breaks Convention

While Montezemolo's career was brilliant, many of his achievements during his tenure as Ferrari chairman were also the result of diligent, steady work.

One such achievement was human resource development, where he introduced various ideas. For example, Ferrari factory employees are required to have a high school diploma or higher, but he also established a promotion system to administrative positions based on aptitude tests, aiming to boost motivation.

This was an extremely groundbreaking project in old-fashioned Italian society, where a strict divide existed between factory workers, known as "operai," and administrative staff, known as "dipendenti."

He also advanced industry-academia collaborative research with renowned universities worldwide. According to one staff member, a recent theme of research has been the development of 3D printer technology.

Under the Montezemolo regime, the internship program was also enhanced and proved popular. The most recent recruitment drive received 5,000 applications from university students in 80 countries and regions worldwide. Initially, only five interns were to be accepted, but the capacity was quickly expanded to 15. They participate in a six-month practical training program.

It is noteworthy that a manufacturer of super sports cars producing only about 7,000 units annually, rather than a mass-market brand, has adopted such a modern human resource development system.

Underlying It All is Italian Aesthetic Sensibility

Upon touring the Ferrari factory at its headquarters in Maranello, Italy, one is struck by its modern architecture. The designs were by leading contemporary architects such as Renzo Piano and Marco Visconti.

These buildings were constructed sequentially starting in 1997 under the leadership of Chairman Montezemolo (at the time), with the concept of creating "a factory that is as unlike a factory as possible."

As introduced in the first installment of this series, the factory is filled with tropical plants. Natural light streams in from the ceiling. Noise is minimized, and even odors are strictly controlled.

The employee restaurant, while self-service, occupies an entire, separate building with a high ceiling that resembles a shopping mall. It is named "Ristorante Aziendale (Company Restaurant)" rather than "Mensa," the Italian word commonly used for "staff canteen."

The specifications, which might seem excessive for a car factory, reflect the Italian aesthetic sensibility towards architecture. In Italian cities, magnificent buildings are typically restored and used for centuries. This is a different value system than simply rebuilding structures every few decades. Montezemolo brought this concept into the world of automotive factories.

On his last day, Montezemolo addressed all employees, saying, "This was the world's greatest company, supported by excellent staff."

Nurturing successors with modern methods and handing over a valuable environment.—Montezemolo's era was a skillful mixture of modern management and Italian traditional aesthetics. It is exciting to anticipate how the culture created and left behind by this rare Italian automotive businessman will shape the next Ferrari.