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How the Agnelli Family Built a Century of Control
Description
Lucas and Luna explore the Agnelli family's century-long grip on Fiat and the wider Italian economy. They focus on the cornerstone of that control: Giovanni Agnelli & C. S.p.A., the family holding company. The episode drills into the 2023 succession of John Elkann as chairman, the structure of the holding company's ownership, and how the family navigated the 2009 financial crisis that nearly sank Fiat. Listeners learn the specific mechanism — a limited partnership with non-voting shares — that lets the Agnelli clan control a vast industrial empire while owning less than 20% of the equity. Lucas walks through the 2025 purchase of a 15% stake in Philips, the latest move by the holding company. Luna questions whether the model can survive globalisation, and Lucas points to the 2026 annual report showing the family's stake actually increased to 22%.