Guido Venosta and Pirelli: from the early years to the second world war (1939–1945)

After earning two degrees—Economics at the University of Cambridge and Law at the University of Pavia—Guido Venosta entered the world of work. His first experience was at Banco Ambrosiano, which he soon left for an operational role at Fabbriche Riunite Industria Gomma Torino (a company controlled by the Pirelli Group), from January to September 1938.

From September 1938 to May 1939, he was assigned as personale “in missione”—i.e., temporarily posted to a workplace other than his usual base to carry out specific tasks—to the Società del Linoleum (another Pirelli-controlled company) based in Narni (TR).

On 16 July 1939, he arrived at the parent company and was hired by Pirelli S.p.A.’s Central Secretariat, with administrative duties. His father Giuseppe—who had served as Pirelli’s General Manager—had died only a few months earlier.

In September 1940, Venosta was entrusted with the acting leadership of the newly established Servizio Organizzazione Controllo Aziendale (SOCA), responsible for the Group’s entire operational area.

In April 1942, Venosta—who had carried out his role in leading SOCA commendably despite his commitments as a cavalry officer recalled to active service—was assigned to other duties within an affiliated company, reporting to the Central Administrative Directorate as personale in missione. The affiliated company was, again, Linoleum in Narni, where Venosta worked “in the commercial-administrative field.”

Sources

Albiate (MB), Villa San Valerio, Guido Venosta Archive: “Private” collection;

“AIRC” collection; “FIRC” collection; “Images” collection.
Fondazione Pirelli, Pirelli Historical Archive, “Personnel” collection, “Guido Venosta” file.

Bibliography

G. Caprotti, Le ossa dei Caprotti. Una storia italiana, 2024/3.

ID., Personaggi: Guido Venosta (giuseppecaprotti.it, tag “guido-venosta”).

ID., Guido Venosta, imprenditore e manager del Terzo Settore (fondazioneguidovenosta.org, page “guido-venosta”).

ID., Guido Venosta Manager ed imprenditore del Terzo Settore, “creatore dell’AIRC’” (fondazioneguidovenosta.org, section “Protagonisti”).