Italian footwear organization Assocalzaturifici has named Dr. Giorgio Possagno as its new general manager.
Possagno, 53, began his career with Pirelli, where he worked in the company’s Milan office and then, starting in 2002, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, moving on to TIM Brasil’s Rio de Janeiro office.
Returning to Telecom Italia in 2012, he joined the Veronafiere Group in 2013 as GM of Veronafiere Servizi S.p.A., then moved on to the parent company Veronafiere S.p.A. as director of operations. He has been managing director of Polo Fieristico Veronese S.p.A. since 2019.
According to Assocalzaturifici, Possagno also has a law degree from the University of Parma and a “master’s degree certifying expertise in industrial property rights” specializing in “sustainable business models: creation and implementation of corporate sustainability models” from Ca’ Foscari Challenge school in Venice in cooperation with Ernst & Young.
“I would like to thank chair Giovanna Ceolini, the president’s council, the general executive council of Assocalzaturifici, and the board of directors of ANCI Servizi for the trust that has been unanimously placed in me with this appointment,” Possagno said in a statement. “Taking on this role in an organization that clearly represents the excellence of the Italian footwear manufacturing sector, with a long entrepreneurial history serving numerous production chains and representing around 500 companies, is undoubtedly an important responsibility.”
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Possagno added: “I embark on this new path with great enthusiasm and with a commitment to start right away by listening to all the association’s members, continuing to grow and innovate its services and products, and pursuing the mission of closing even the smallest gaps that may exist between the country’s many footwear districts, with a view to strengthening the central role of Confindustria. I am confident that, drawing on the professional skills of all the directors, management and staff, together we will be ready to face the important challenges that lie ahead.”
Possagno’s appointment comes as the Italian footwear industry experienced a sharp slowdown in the first quarter of 2024, according to the latest data from Confindustria Moda Research Centre for Assocalzaturifici.
In the first quarter of the year, the country’s shoe sector saw a 10.1 percent decline in sales compared to the same period in 2023. Declines were seen elsewhere including a 9.7 percent drop in total value of footwear exports and a 10.3 percent decrease in pairs exported in the quarter.
