Alberto Alessi

Alberto Alessi Biography

Alberto Alessi has been described as the 'manufacturing maestro' and the 'godfather' of Italian product design, and is one of the most renowned names on the international speaking circuit. He is an interesting and thought provoking business keynote speaker on branding and design innovation.

Background and career

Born in Arona (Novara) in 1946, Alberto Alessi is President of Alessi Spa and head of Marketing Strategy, Communication and Design Management.

The eldest son of Carlo Alessi he belongs to the third generation of the Alessi family, and officially joined the company in 1970, the day after he graduated in Law. He initially was in charge of the commercial area, the development of new products and the communication.

Since 1970 Alberto has started collaborating with architects and designers from all over the world further enhancing the company’s reputation of working with key names in the field of international design.

Alberto Alessi has written several books, including “La Cintura di Orione” (Longanesi, Milano 1986) “Not in Production next to Production”, (Alessi Spa, Crusinallo 1988) and  “The Dream Factory”, (Electa, Milano 1998). During his career he has contributed articles for many international magazines and publications and he is visiting professor at several design colleges.

Alberto Alessi is a member of the Academic Board of the U.I.A.H., Helsinki and sits on the Honorary Committee of the Design Museum, London.

He became Senior Fellow of the Royal College of Art, London in 1993; Doctor Honoris Causa of the U.I.A.H. (University of Industrial Arts in Helsinki), 1993; Honorary Professor of the Hochschule der Bildenden Künste, Saarbrucken, 1994; Doctor of Fine Arts at the Miami University of Oxford, Ohio, 1995.

In 1998 he received the Design Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Brooklyn Museum of Art.

Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University at the UCE in Birmingham in 2001.

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