Former longtime Fiat managing
director Cesare Romiti died Tuesday at the age of 97.
Romiti spent 25 years at the helm of Italy's biggest car maker
alongside late owner Gianni Agnelli.
He saw it through many difficult times and historic events such
as the "March of the 40,000" blue-collar staff against perceived
trade union extremism in 1980.
Romiti was dubbed The Iron Manager for his willingness to take
on the unions during years of strikes.
Restoring Fiat's fortunes after a long slump exacerbated by
strikes, he reeled off a string of successful models including
the Panda, the Uno, and the Croma as well as the revolutionary
FIRE engine.
He also helped write the history of Italian capitalism in the
70s, 80s and 90s.
Among other things, he led sprawling holding company Gremina,
and was president of the RCS publishing company that publishes
Italy's top daily Corriere della Sera.
Romiti was born in Rome on June 24 1923.
President Sergio Mattarella was among those who led the tributes
to Romiti Tuesday.
He called him "a major protagonist of a troubled and
controversial time of industrial relations and Italian
capitalism, amid deep transformations in international markets
and pushes to change the set-up of our country."
He went on: "Manager of major companies, he brought to the Fiat
group his experience as a man of finance, helping consolidate
its presence in the car making sector and to diversify its
activities".
Forza Italia (FI) Senator Francesco Giro, on the other hand,
said Romiti was "not a model, and he exploited state aid".
Democratic Party (PD) MP Davide Gariglio said Romiti was a
"controversial figure, but he relaunched Fiat".
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