Fiat Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne [56] has upset workers, unions and politicians by stating in a television interview that the company would be better off without Italy. In the interview, on Sunday, Mr Marchionne said that not one centesimo of Fiat’s profits come from the company’s Italian operations.
Largely credited with turning round the company, Mr Marchionne wants to update working practices in the country of Fiat’s birth and has been finding this impossible. He added that the company could not continue to operate at a loss in Italy.
On Monday Gianfranco Fini, President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, accused Mr Marchionne of talking “like a Canadian” rather than an Italian. This is a reference to the fact that Mr Marchionne emigrated to Canada when he was 14 years old. He worked for several international companies before being appointed CEO of Fiat.
Other politicians have said that Fiat’s continued success is due to the continued support of the Italian tax payer rather than to Mr Marchionne’s business prowess. The Fiat brand is an icon in Italy and Italians cannot imagine their country without the company.
Can you imagine Italy without Fiat?
