User:Burgmaestro/Vittorio Tabacchi (businessman)

Vittorio Tabacchi is an Italian businessman, former president and CEO of the eyewear manufacturing company Safilo, which was founded by his father Guglielmo Tabacchi.

Family
Vittorio is the second son of Guglielmo Tabacchi. His older brother is Giuliano and his younger brother is Ermenegildo. The Tabacchi family still controlled 9.22% of Safilo through its holding Only 3T, until it was liquidated in 2017-2018, leaving the family with just 2% of Safilo's shares.

Biography
Tabacchi started working at the Safilo plant in 1959. He soon left for military service, but came back to the family business a year later. During his early career in the eyewear manufacturing industry, Tabacchi worked with Leonardo Del Vecchio, founder of Safilo's main competitor Luxottica.

In 1974, Guglielmo Tabacchi died, leaving his three sons at the helms of Safilo. Vittorio Tabacchi significantly contributed to the creation of the Eyewear Museum that opened in 1990 in Pieve di Cadore. In 1993, he became chairman of Safilo, succeeding to his brother Giuliano, and oriented production towards sunglasses and sports eyewear. In 2000, Vittorio eyed the acquisition of Ray-Ban but his brothers opposed it (or he was opposed to it alongside his brothers ), leaving it to their direct competitor Luxottica.

From 2001 to 2003, he was president of the Associazione Nazionale Fabbricanti Articoli Ottici (ANFAO).

In May 2001, he acquired the entire family's shares in Safilo (60%) and in December 2001, he acquired the remaining 40%. He brought Safilo public again in 2005, and hired Roberto Vedovotto in 2009 to bring the Dutch fund Hal Investments as a shareholder. In 2007, he became again president of ANFAO, reelected at this position in July 2009.

In July 2010, Tabacchi was appointed president of the European Federation of Precision Mechanical and Optical Industries, Eurom 1, and was reappointed in 2013 for one more year.

In 2020, as the Tabacchi family barely owned a remaining 2% of Safilo, Vittorio Tabacchi criticized Hal Investments' management of Safilo, including the new upper management brought from Procter & Gamble, the missed Dior deal, the massive layoffs and the loss of competitiveness against Thélios (LVMH-funded eyewear manufacturer).

Awards

 * 2004: Honorary degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Padua
 * 2011: European Sunglass Association (ESA) Visionary Award