Barilla announces that starting from April 2023, after more than 10 years at the helm of the Barilla Group, Claudio Colzani will leave his position as CEO to pursue other professional developments. The position will be assumed by Gianluca Di Tondo, former Group Chief Marketing Officer of the Group.
«I thank Claudio – writes Guido Barilla, president of the Barilla Group, in a note – for these ten years together, in which he has ensured an important growth that has made the Barilla Group extremely solid and able to look forward to future challenges with optimism. Claudio has achieved a strong development of international markets, investing, at the same time, in a path of sustainability and creating an increasingly inclusive culture, capable of enhancing diversity. Thanks to its leadership – he underlines – Barilla was the first Italian company to achieve the prestigious international “Catalyst Award” for having achieved wage parity between genders on a global level. A special thanks also goes to him for how he accompanied us in difficult moments such as the pandemic and for how, even today, he is helping us to carry on this succession path. In recent years – continues Barilla – purchasing behavior, working models and distribution channels have changed. We want to be at the center of this change, to open our window on the world to always respond better to people’s needs. Gianluca Di Tondo, with his vision and experience, will be able to accompany our company in the transformation process necessary to be even more competitive in the international scenario ».
«I am incredibly happy, proud and grateful – comments Gianluca Di Tondo – to the Board of Directors for this privilege. I am also aware of the great responsibility and challenge that lies ahead of me by succeeding Claudio, who in his ten years at the helm of the company has done an extraordinary job to bring Barilla to where it is today. I certainly see three main priorities at the top of my agenda: making our brands even stronger in Italy and even better spokespersons in the world for the Italian way of understanding the joy of food; continue to cultivate our values and our diversity, to increase our people’s sense of belonging and attract new talents; be recognized by consumers around the world as their trusted food company ».
Gianluca Di Tondo has gained a long experience of over 25 years in the world of Food & Beverage, covering roles both in the commercial and marketing fields. Among other roles he has taken on global responsibility for the Heineken brand, with full responsibility for the Profit and Loss, long-term vision and strategy of a brand present in 192 markets. From March 2020 he joins Barilla as Group Chief Marketing Officer, where he was responsible, among other things, for the definition of a new pasta category strategy that led to the birth of the Barilla Al Bronzo line, the launch of the new Barilla and Mulino Bianco and the creation of the Barilla Acceleration Team. He also had a fundamental role in the acquisition of Pasta Evangelist of which he became Chairman of the Board.