Share your coffee stories with us by writing to info@comunicaffe.com.
TRIESTE, Italy – On April 29, the shareholders’ meeting appointed the new Board of Directors for the term through 2027. Andrea Illy was confirmed as Chairman of the Board, and Cristina Scocchia as Chief Executive Officer. Raffaele Jerusalmi has been appointed Vice Chairman.
New appointments include Michaela Tod, Marco Bizzarri, and Gianmario Tondato Da Ruos. The remaining directors, who have been reconfirmed, are: Anna Illy Jr., Carolyn Dittmeier, Marianne Kirkegaard, Robert Agostinelli, and Paola Cillo.
The new appointments reflect the evolution of illycaffè’s strategy. Despite external challenges, such as the unprecedented increase in coffee prices and the complex international geopolitical context, the company sees great potential for growth. The new direction includes a revision of the geographical positioning, with a strong focus on Europe, where there are promising opportunities to strengthen competitiveness.
At the same time, illycaffè remains committed to the United States, seeking institutional partnerships aimed at improving agricultural production in Latin America.
The company also aims to build an even closer relationship with consumers, through value-added products and technological innovations that enhance the integration between coffee machines and coffee.
“With the new Board structure, illycaffè is fit for fight and ready to accelerate toward a potential doubling of the business in the short to medium term. We are confident that the exceptional expertise of Michaela Tod in global markets, Marco Bizzarri in marketing and the development of iconic brands, and Gianmario Tondato Da Ruos in international foodservice will bring significant value to our company. Together with CEO Cristina Scocchia, who, in her first three years, delivered record organic growth across all major channels and markets, we are prepared to face this moment of uncertainty, fully aware of our solidity and equipped with targeted strategies and planning” Commented Andrea Illy.
Michaela Tod: A senior executive with over 25 years of experience in executive and non-executive roles. She has built and led numerous businesses around the world, including serving as Division President for Dyson in Asia, CEO of ProSiebenSat.1 in Germany, and CEO of Elvie in the United Kingdom. She has a strong track record in innovation and profitable growth, achieved through brand innovation and premium positioning. Tod has operated both in global and market-specific roles, managing growth and restructuring phases. She specializes in attracting top talent and leading organizations toward high performance both financially and strategically.
Marco Bizzarri: An industry executive with extensive marketing expertise. He began his career managing brands within the Kering Group, achieving outstanding results. In 2015, he was appointed President and CEO of Gucci, where he revolutionized the brand’s retail, digital, and social media strategies, undertaking a radical redesign of all customer touchpoints. Under his leadership, Gucci became a benchmark in the luxury sector: in seven years, the workforce grew from 11,000 to over 20,000 employees, and revenues tripled. Since 2018, Gucci has also achieved full carbon neutrality across its operations and entire supply chain. Bizzarri is a member of the International Advisory Board of Bocconi University in Milan, and serves on the steering committees of the Italian National Chamber of Fashion (CNMI) and the Altagamma Foundation.
Gianmario Tondato Da Ruos: Served as CEO of Autogrill for twenty years. He joined the company in 2000 to reorganize and relaunch its U.S. subsidiary HMSHost, based in Bethesda, Maryland, a role he held until 2003. From April 2003 to February 2023, he served as CEO of Autogrill in Milan, overseeing the integration of American companies into the consolidated group. Currently, he is an Independent Director and Chairman of the Compensation Committee at International Game Technology Plc, as well as a member of the Advisory Board at Planet Farms.
He was previously a member of the Advisory Board of Rabobank.
About illycaffè
illycaffè is an Italian family-owned company, founded in Trieste in 1933 which has always set itself the mission of offering the best coffee to the world. It produces a unique 100% Arabica blend composed of 9 different ingredients.
The company selects only 1% of the best Arabica beans. Every day more than 10 million cups of illy coffee are served in over 140 countries around the globe, in the cafés, restaurants and hotels, in single-brand cafés and shops, at home and in the office, in which the company is present through subsidiaries and distributors.
Since its foundation, illycaffè has oriented its strategies towards a sustainable business model, commitment that it strengthened in 2019 by adopting the status of Benefit Company and in 2021 becoming the first Italian coffee company to obtain the international B Corp certification.
Everything that is “made in illy” is about beauty and art, the founding principles of the brand, starting from its logo, designed by artist James Rosenquist, up to illy Art Collection cups, decorated by over 135 international artists, or coffee machines designed by internationally renowned designers. With the aim of spreading the culture of quality to growers, baristas and coffee lovers, the company has developed its Università del Caffè which today holds courses in 24 countries around the world.
In 2024, the company had a turnover of €630 million. The illy single-brand network has 157 points of sale in 28 countries.
