In a family of four brothers, an external CEO brings order to an Italian family firm
Emanuele Preve, CFO of rice producer Riso Gallo, reflects on being part of the sixth generation to lead a family business.
As a member of the sixth generation of a family business, Emanuele Preve sees the Riso Gallo company as more than just something that provides him with an income.
“Its profitability isn’t high and sometimes you think, well are there more profitable businesses? But on the other hand, money isn’t everything,” Preve, CFO and board member at Italian rice-producer Riso Gallo, told The Slovak Spectator.
What he and his brothers are trying to do, he explained, is to build up their company so that they can pass it on to the next generation in a better condition than when they took the reins themselves.
The Slovak Spectator spoke with Preve about what it means to be part of the sixth generation to manage a family business, why they hired an external CEO, and why, as an angel investor, he has invested in startups.
Do you still hold to the values the founders of the company had?
Emanuele Preve
After obtaining a degree in Management Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Milan, he spent three years in Europe working and learning languages (Polaroid in Spain, Pirelli in the UK and Credit Agricole in France). Back in Italy, he worked at BMW in Network Development and later in Management, and in Administration and Controlling in IsapOmv (Verona), Riello Elettronica (Verona) and Giostyle (Bergamo).
In 2008 he joined Unicredit Corporate Banking in the CFO Department in Credit Evaluation (NPL) and subsequently became Vice-President of the Debt-to-Equity office of the Restructuring Department.
In 2013 he joined the family business of the Risogallo Group as Managing Director at its headquarters in Switzerland (Lugano), which oversees the Group’s global activities, and as CFO of the Group.
He is a business angel for startups, and has made more than 40 investments.
He was one of the speakers at the International Congress of Family Business in Chateau Béla, southern Slovakia, on September 19 and 20.
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