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Technogym founder and CEO Nerio Alessandri likes to let his products speak for themselves. The fitness company founded by Alessandri is still headquartered in Cesena, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, where he was born and started his business. His English has a strong Italian accent, which contrasts sharply with the sleek designs for which his products are known.
He told me that Technogym supplies products to all the athlete training centers in Paris, which is by far the best product placement and feedback mechanism he could imagine. In fact, such a presence costs Technogym (whose revenue is about $1 billion) millions of dollars in marketing expenses, which he happily accepts.
15,000
Number of Olympic and Paralympic athletes equipped by Technogym.
The passionate and well-connected Italian reveals more of his colors in this exclusive interview. wealth. He told us that WhatsApp is one of his favorite productivity tools. His children and their friends sit on the sexagenarian’s personal board of directors. It allows the man who founded Technogym in his parents’ garage in 1982 to get “feedback from the younger generation.”
This interview has been edited for brevity.
Closer to home
wealth: What is the most important project you have worked on with the company?
Paris Olympics. Technogym has been selected as the official supplier of training for Olympic and Paralympic sports for the ninth time. In Paris, Technogym provides 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes with 29 training centers equipped with the most innovative equipment and digital technologies.
Athletes using Technogym equipment in Olympic gyms:
Technogym
Technogym
Which long-term trend for society and the economy as a whole are you most optimistic about?
Health and longevity are one of the major consumer trends currently.
Amazon UK
If you were an economic policymaker, what would be your top priority?
When it comes to health, we need to move from today’s largely treatment-based approach to a prevention-based approach. There is substantial scientific evidence that physical exercise can indeed cure many metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
Effective
What time do you get up?
I get up around 6:30 in the morning. I always work out, have breakfast, and start my day.
What time do you work until? Do you continue to send emails at night and/or on weekends?
I usually work in the office until 7pm…but I’m lucky enough to work in a very exciting industry, so my work often blends with my personal life in an exciting way. For example, I’m currently in Paris watching the Olympics… which is fun but also provides opportunities for business contacts in the sports industry.
Technogym
What apps or methods do you use to be more productive?
Nothing special, technology and organizational tools are becoming more commonplace. I believe creativity is the number one technology that creates change today. I personally use WhatsApp a lot. Group chats are very helpful for quick updates and sharing information with different teams on different projects.
“I believe being able to ask the right questions and listen with humility is the best way to learn and improve.”
Nelio Alessandri
Who are your “personal board” members?
My children Erica and Eduardo, and their friends. For me, getting the perspective and feedback of younger generations is crucial in order to develop long-term plans.
get personal
What book have you read recently or in the past that inspired you?
Opened by Andre Agassi.
If you could ask your idol one question, who would it be and what would it be?
Very difficult question. I don’t really have any idols, but I love listening and asking questions to everyone…from top executives or political leaders to everyday people. I believe being able to ask the right questions and listen with humility is the best way to learn and improve.
Betty Laura Zapata/Bloomberg via Getty Images
As a consumer, which company is your favorite?
Apple combines great design products, content and community. In fitness and sport, at Technogym we have created a unique ecosystem that connects people to their personal training experience: in the gym, at home, in hotels, at work, at the doctor’s office and outdoors. People can log in to their profile anytime, anywhere on their Technogym device or our app.
The CEO Agenda provides unique insights into how leaders think and lead and what keeps them busy in a changing world. We investigate the lives, thoughts and agendas of the world’s most iconic corporate CEOs. Dive deeper into our other CEO Agenda profiles.
