Veronafiere and Vinitaly: Giovanni Mantovani, after 25 years, steps down as general manager

Vinitaly, for years, has been the most important platform for the promotion of Italian wine in the world. And, it has always been Veronafiere’s flagship fair, which has grown exponentially, including in its presence abroad, under the leadership, as general director of the Verona-based entity, of Giovanni Mantovani, who, after 25 years at the top, ends his term today (due to retirement) (in the coming days video interview on WineNews, ed.).
Born in 1957, at Veronafiere since 1985, general manager since 1998, Mantovani will remain in the exhibition system as president of Piemmeti SpA, a subsidiary of the Veronafiere Group, a member of the board of Ufi (The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry) and, since Sept. 1 of this year, as “Senior Advisor” to the “Top Management” of the Viale del Lavoro parent company.
“I step down from my position with the certainty and satisfaction of having contributed to the development of what is now the fourth national exhibition player and first for directly organized exhibitions”, comments Giovanni Mantovani, “after two years of the pandemic, the company's financial indicators are once again safe. An unexpected result that projects it towards further growth plans on the national and international scene, thanks to the most important historical products such as Vinitaly, Marmomac, Fieracavalli, Fieragricola and Samoter. Today the Verona Fair is ready to face the great new economic and social challenges that await it, without forgetting its territory and its city of reference and for which it will certainly continue to be a strategic asset. I thank and wish good work to those who have accompanied and supported me in this long professional and human journey, from the presidents and board of directors who have succeeded one another, to the management up to all the employees, colleagues and collaborators of Veronafiere”.
For Veronafiere president Federico Bricolo, “Giovanni Mantovani has led the fair with foresight, professionalism and entrepreneurial vision. To him, we owe the credit for the Verona Fair’s steady growth path and international positioning-from Asia to the United States to South America-of the main supply chains represented by the events in the portfolio. On behalf of the Board of Directors, employees and collaborators, I express the most sincere appreciation and gratitude for having imprinted Veronafiere with an undisputed leadership role. A result also achieved thanks to his positive stubbornness by making available all his human and managerial skills to successfully traverse even the most critical phases experienced by the fair with innovative and repositioning projects”.
In his career as a manager, Giovanni Mantovani has participated in the evolution of Veronafiere’s modern history. Among the highlights: joining Emeca, the organization that brings together the major European exhibition centers (1996); the creation of the new-co Veronafiere do Brasil (2012); the creation at Expo Milano of the first pavilion dedicated to Italian wine (2015); the transformation of Veronafiere into a joint-stock company (2016); the creation of the new-co Veronafiere Asia Ltd (2019); the development of Vinitaly’s internationality; and the implementation of major projects to expand and regenerate the exhibition center.
In addition to the repositioning and strengthening in terms of innovation, professionalization and internationalization of the main exhibition brands, under the direction of Giovanni Mantovani, Veronafiere has expanded its portfolio of exhibitions and events on the calendar with Job&Orienta, ArtVerona, Motor Bike Expo, Progetto Fuoco, B/Open, LetExpo, Asphaltica, European Outdoor Show, Oil&nonOil and Innovabiomed.