Today, July 25, is a very significant date for those who love Italy, for managers, for expatriates, and for those who believe in meritocracy. It marks the sixth anniversary of the passing of Sergio Marchionne.
I write these thoughts on impulse, with tearful eyes, while I am flying to Bangkok. I can’t help but think of someone who used to fly twice a week from Turin to Detroit to create FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles), now known as Stellantis, one of the leading automotive groups in the world.
Perhaps not everyone knows that Sergio Marchionne actually “died on the job.” He did not spare himself until his last day, prioritizing his CEO responsibilities above all else, and unfortunately, only his health and family came second. That’s how he was: he loved fixing things. “I’m a fixer; it’s the only thing I know how to do,” he often said.
Since his passing, I miss his vision of things and his unique perspective. The world we live in, which to him was flat, with no time zones, is now a bit darker without his light. Occasionally, I wonder: what would Sergio have done? What would he have said? The answer to this question does not exist because his thinking and genius are inimitable.
The Memory of Sergio Marchionne
It saddens me that he has been forgotten too quickly; this aspect is part of our Italian culture. We celebrate immediately and forget with the same speed.
On the Wall Street Journal, there is a column called “Obituaries,” whose spirit is to tell stories of lives, not of deaths (“It’s the Story of a Life, Not a Death”). It would be wonderful if Italy’s leading economic newspaper, Il Sole 24 Ore, took inspiration from this and did the same. We have so many stories to tell of Italians who made a difference in the business world, from Amedeo Peter Giannini to Sergio Marchionne, who have been forgotten.
I close this brief post by quoting my favorite passage from the letter that Sergio Marchionne sent to new hires at FCA:
“There is a world where people don’t let things happen. They make things happen. They don’t forget their dreams in a drawer; they keep them firmly in their grasp. They dive into the fray, savor the risk, leave their mark. It’s a world where every new day and every new challenge offer the opportunity to create a better future. Those who live there never experience the same day twice, because they know that it is always possible to improve something.”
Rest in peace, Sergio. I will never forget you and will continue to honor your memory.
