Carlo Cimbri: who is Unipol’s number one, the true protagonist of the merger between Bper and Carige
Let’s forget for a moment the good living room of Piazzetta Cuccia in Milan and the “ring “of Trieste. To find one of the most important men in the Italian financial scene, you have to call the intercom in Via Stalingrado 45, in Bologna. In fact, he works in the building with its characteristic horseshoe shape Carlo Cimbri, managing director of Unipol.
Cagliari, born in 1965, the manager is not a regular in high finance, he has never loved living rooms, yet he has been able to move as an authentic king maker for years, finding the most useful side from time to time. In Unipol arrives in 1990, initially to take care of the Finance and Treasury Area. Fifteen years later we find it as general manager to face one of the most complex moments in the history of the Bolognese company: the attempt to transform Unipol into a merchant bank Bnl and the famous “we have a bank” which Piero Fassino she spoke on the phone with Giovanni Consorte, then number one of the Emilian company).
In reality, the coup succeeds him: in 2005 he closes the year with € 8.9 billion in premium income. The following year he manages to sell the shares of Bnl in the belly of the insurance group to the French of Bnp Paribas. The idea of doing of Unipol a bank is quickly aborted, bringing back the core business of policies as the main focus. Then when there is “system” games to be played Cimbri there is, but always as a critical voice. When in 2012 it detects Fondiaria Sai – after two capital increases – 4.4% of Alitalia, legacy of the “brave captains” who had tried to put the flag carrier on its feet once more. Attempt failed, as we all know.
Cimbri he immediately declared that the share was not strategic and that it would be devalued in the 2013 financial statements, showing discontinuity with the past and above all tracing a deep furrow between himself and the good living room of finance. But you shouldn’t think of a Cimbri almost naive, who doesn’t want to have anything to do with certain people.
In fact, he sits on the board of directors of Rcs, of which Unipol holds a 4.89% stake. Just the match in Rizzoli represents a new, difficult chapter in Cimbri’s managerial history. In July, in fact, the manager deserted the board together with other important directors such as Diego Della Valle And Marco Tronchetti Provera perplexity (euphemism) towards the management of the affaire Blackstone. Without, however, claiming any budget provisions that would have resulted in a pro-quota outlay for the shareholders.
He managed in 2019 to entrust the Banco Popolare dell’Emilia-Romagna that Unipol Banca which, strongly desired by Consort, was burdened by an excess of stumbling blocks. Then, in 2020 it completed the growth of Unipol in the shareholding structure of Bper, of which it currently holds 18.9%. In March of this year Cimbri has decided to change the CEO of the Emilia-Romagna credit institution, passing from Alessandro Vandelli to the most “experienced” Piero Montani.
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