Leadership through Resilience

Rodolfo De Benedetti was a mere 30 years old when he became the CEO of Compagnie Industriali Riunite (CIR) Group, a business established by his father, Italian business tycoon, Carlo De Benedetti who founded the company in the mid-1970’s. Today, the CIR Group is one of Italy’s most important consortiums with companies in the media, automotive, and healthcare sectors. Not only did Rodolfo De Benedetti need to steer the company through difficult economic times but he had to do so while trying to establish his own way of doing things. Leadership can take many forms, and De Benedetti’s leadership skills were shaped and honed by the unique challenges that faced him. Not the least of these was ensuring the company thrives through the disruptions of technological disruptions. Tharawat Magazine had the opportunity to sit down with Rodolfo De Benedetti to discuss leadership in the 21st century as well as the challenges and opportunities when faced with a great legacy.