Lapo Elkann

Lapo Elkann (7 0ctober 1977) is a New York-born Italian industrialist and creative entrepreneur. Fluent in 4 Languages, Lapo Elkann spent the first ten years of his life between London and Brazil with his family. He moved to France and was enrolled at boarding school in the French Alps, then studied at Lycee Charlemagne in Paris. He graduated from London Guildhall University.

In 2001, Lapo worked as personal assistant to Henry Kissinger at Kissinger Associates in NYC. Back in Italy,he joined the family owned Fiat S.p.A. in 2002 as Assistant of the Institutional Relations Director. Marketing Associate for Ferrari and Maserati, he became Fiat Europe Operative Marketing head in 2003.

In 2004 he designed the Fiat Sweaters using a Fiat vintage logo which aim was to make youngster perceive Fiat as a "buddy brand" and love mark at the moment in which the company was at its worst financial moment. Promoted Director of Brand Promotion for FiatGroup (Fiat, Alfa Romeo,Lancia, Ferrari,Maserati...), he coordinated the reinvention of classics like the Fiat Punto and the iconic Fiat 500 and their launches. He left the family group in 2006 and, in early 2007, created the first of his companies: "Italia Independent”, an eyewear & lifestyle brand, featuring products conceived, developed, and produced in Italy.

Independent Ideas, the Communication and Advertising agency, followed the year after. Italia independent group was listed on the AIM at the Milan Stock Exchange in June 2013.

In 2011 He created the Tailor Made Unit for Ferrari. In march 2015 he presented his new automotive project, Garage Italia Customs, a bespoke and customization service for cars, bikes, planes and boats. Lapo Elkann and his brother John and sister Ginevra are the majority shareholders of Exor,the Agnelli family investment company, which owns a controlling stake in FCA, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

In july 2013 he was inducted in the Automotive Hall of Fame,the first member of his family after his great grandfather Senatore Giovanni Agnelli. Vanity Fair magazine listed him in its Best Dressed Hall of Fame in 2009.The magazine has previously listed him in the International Best Dressed List from 2005 til present.