- Paolo was the Chairman of the Pininfarina Group since 2008.
- He was the son of Sergio Pininfarina and the grandson of Battista “Pinin” Farina.
- Since the ’80s, Paolo played a pivotal role in expanding the business of Pininfarina in other areas of design.
Paolo Pininfarina, Chairman of the Pininfarina Group, passed away on April 9 in Turin, at the age of 65. Paolo was leading the company founded by his grandfather, legendary automotive designer Battista “Pinin” Farina back in 1930, following the lineage of his father Sergio, and his brother Andrea.
Paolo took the reigns in 2008 after his brother, Andrea, died in a Vespa accident at the age of 51 and led it out of the financial crisis. Since the ’80s, he played a pivotal role in the diversification process of the Pininfarina Group besides the automotive sector, expanding the business in other areas of design.
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Paolo Pininfarina was born in Turin on August 28, 1958. He studied Mechanical Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Turin and worked for Cadillac, Honda, and General Motors before joining the family business in 1982. In 1987 he became President and CEO of Pininfarina Extra S.p.A. which specialized in industrial, furniture, architecture, nautical, and aeronautical design.
During his time at the wheel of the company, Paolo saw the ending of Pininfarina’s automotive production in 2011, the acquisition of Pininfarina S.p.A. by Indian company Mahindra Group in 2015, and the launch of Automobili Pininfarina in 2018. Among his greatest hits was the Ferrari-based Pininfarina Sergio Barchetta in 2013 in memory of his late father. Furthermore, at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, Paolo took the veils off the Rimac-based Automobili Pininfarina Battista electric hypercar named after his grandfather.
Pininfarina Group announced Paolo’s passing mentioning that his wife, five children, and mother were by his side. Silvio Angori, Pininfarina CEO, issued the following statement:
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, the Board of Statutory Auditors, and all Pininfarina employees, I express deep sorrow and condolences for the loss of our dear Chairman. We are all extremely grateful to Eng. Pininfarina for his extraordinary contribution to the company and for always passionately advocating for our history and corporate identity both in terms of style and ethical and behavioral choices. I am personally grateful to him for confirming me in the leadership of the company following the passing of Andrea Pininfarina in 2008. Over these years, we have shared many triumphs and challenges, always advising and supporting each other. The best way to honor his memory is to continue, as he would want, to commit ourselves to the future of Pininfarina.”
