Former Bacardi and Stoli Group executive Marco Ferrari has been appointed as the new CEO of the Illva Saronno Group, owner of brands including Disaronno and Tia Maria.
Ferrari will take over at the helm of the Italian business on 1 October from current CEO Aldino Marzorati, who will remain as company president for a transitional period, Illva Saronno said.
In a near 30-year career to date, Ferrari has performed various roles for Bacardi, Fratelli Branca and Stoli Group. From 2014 until 2023, he was CEO of Gruppo Montenegro.
“Marco is a manager with great experience, gained in multinational companies in the spirits and food sectors, in which he has contributed to achieve a solid track record in terms of growth results,” Illva Saronno’s owners, the Reina family, said in a statement.
They also paid tribute to Marzorati, the first non-family member to lead the business, saying: “For almost 20 years he worked alongside Augusto Reina, historical leader of the group, making a great contribution to the growth of our brands in the world.”
Ferrari said of Illva Saronno: “I think there are all the ingredients to continue guiding it towards long-lasting growth. Illva Saronno Group has a history full of successes. I will commit myself to give my contribution to make it bigger and bigger in a very competitive market.”
Illva Saronno owns brands including the liqueurs Disaronno Originale and Tia Maria, The Busker Irish whiskey, as well as Corvo, Florio and Duca di Salaparuta wines.
In 2022, the company’s turnover rose 18.5% to EUR321.9m [US$355.4m], with Illva Saronno highlighting “heavy investments” in research and development.
In June, its UK division rolled out a TV advert for the Velvet cream line extension of its flagship Disaronno Originale almond liqueur brand, called ‘New Dolcevita – Dis is our Summer’.
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