MAPEI MOURNS THE PASSING OF GIORGIO SQUINZI

It is with great sadness that the Mapei Group
announced the passing of its President, Giorgio Squinzi, who died in Milan on 2
October.

Born in 1943, Giorgio Squinzi became the Sole
Administrator of Mapei in 1984 after the death of his father, Rodolfo, who
founded the company in 1937. Under his leadership, the company grew to become
one of the world’s leading players in chemical products for the building
industry and currently operates in 56 countries through 89 subsidiaries.

The Mapei Group, which employs over 10,500
staff, manufactures across five continents through 83 factories in 36
countries. The Group’s first foreign offices opened in Canada in 1978.

In 1996 he was awarded the ‘Ambrogino d’oro”
(one of the city’s highest awards) by the Mayor of Milan for his contribution
to the city business and sport, and in 1998 he was knighted for his services to
industry. In 2013 the President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano,
made him a Grand Officer of the “Order of Merit of the Italian People”.

Giorgio Squinzi held important posts in both
Italian and international business associations. He was President of the
Italian Federation of Chemical Industries from 1997-2003 and then again from
2005-2011. He was also the leader of CEFIC, the European Council of Chemical
Industries, which represents 29,000 companies in this sector, for a two-year
period (2010-2012).

He was the President of the Italian Industrial
Federation from May 2012-May 2016.

Giorgio Squinzi’s motto was “Never stop
pedalling”, epitomising his approach to work and life. Giorgio Squinzi sponsored
the Mapei professional cycling team that won a total of 654 races from 1993-2002
and is the main sponsor of the Road World Championships.

Squinzi took over football club Sassuolo Calcio
in 2002, and in just a few years the club is now firmly established among the
leading clubs in the country’s top division.

Squinzi always attended the first night at La
Scala in Milan and was a great opera fan. He was a member of the Opera House’s
Board of Directors from 2016 and Mapei has been a Permanent Founding Member
since 2008.

His expertise, precision and passion will now
be taken up by his children, Veronica and Marco, who were appointed as Chief
Executive Officers in July 2019.

more information at www.mapei.co.za