EDGE 2025 - Franco Gussalli Beretta: The 500-Year-Old Company and the Art of Family Leadership
EDGE 2025 Excerpts
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3m 16s
Learn the secrets behind how Europe's oldest manufacturer has kept leadership within the family for centuries, and how they are approaching the unique challenge of having too few - as opposed to too many - members of the next generation to pass the company to.
Key Takeaways:
- Beretta’s Historic Legacy: Beretta is a 500-year-old family business that has been passed down through 15 generations. The current CEO, Franco Beretta, represents the 15th generation.
- Diversification as a Tool for Growth: The company has diversified beyond its core firearms business, adding clothing, accessories, optics, and ammunition under the Beretta Holding company.
- Generational Caretakers: The Beretta family has maintained private ownership of the company, with no IPO or outside shareholders, as they see their role as caretakers for the next generation.
- Managing Controversy: Navigating the controversy around firearms manufacturing is challenging, but the company approaches it by understanding cultural differences in different markets and strictly following local regulations.