Confindustria Moda Promotes Ercole Botto Poala to President
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MILAN — Confindustria Moda on Tuesday named Ercole Botto Poala its new president.
Formerly vice president of the Italian Federation — which groups around 67,000 companies operating in the fashion, textile and accessories sectors — Botto Poala, chief executive officer of the family Reda textile firm, succeeds Cirillo Marcolin, who was appointed to the role in 2020.
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According to a statement, Botto Poala’s appointment reflects the federation’s strategy to alternate the representation for the fashion-textile and accessories sectors, telegraphing strategic continuity for the different businesses gathered under Confindustria Moda’s umbrella.
The appointment marks a new phase for the federation, established in 2017, which has ended its four-year start-up period. As a result, general directors Gianfranco di Natale and Astrid Galimberti, which have respectively represented the fashion-textile and accessories sectors within the association for four years, are stepping down from their roles.
Botto Poala, CEO of the family company since 2005, has previously covered institutional roles, serving as president of leading textile trade show Milano Unica for four years starting in 2016.
“After the hard pandemic years, the fashion, textile and accessories sector is back as one of the most important engines to Italian economy, contributing to its trade balance,” said Botto Poala. “The challenges ahead, including sustainability, digitalization and internationalization can be faced only by acting cohesively, as a system. I will be tasked with leading Confindustria Moda towards a new phase of its existence, in which unity will be stronger and more solid,” he said.
According to preliminary figures, revenues of the sector are expected to climb 16 percent in the first half of 2022. As reported, last year the Italian fashion sector reported a 22.6 percent jump in sales compared to 2020 to 91.7 billion euros, but that number is still 6.3 percent below 2019 revenues.
Former president Marcolin wished Botto Poala good luck for the challenges ahead and touted the businessman’s vision and attention to all parties across the supply chain represented by the federation.
“I’m sure he is the right person to lead Confindustria Moda towards a stronger and more effective cohesiveness that will allow [the sector] to better compete on a global scale,” he said.
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