Diego Della Valle says working too much makes you boring
“When you work too much you are boring – that is possible,” said Diego Della Valle, chairman of Milan-based luxury leather goods maker Tod’s, in a recent interview with Forbes magazine. “But to have a happy life, if you can do several things in the correct way, that is perfect.”
Mr Della Valle is ranked 938th on Forbes’ billionaires list. He claims to spend 95% of his time on Tod’s Group, but for the other 5% he sits on the boards of LVMH, Ferrari, and Generali, and he and his family hold major stakes in eyewear designer Marcolin; Piaggio, manufacturer of the iconic Vespa scooter; and coffee brand Bialetti Moka.
The chairman has also pledged $34 million toward the restoration of the Colosseum in Rome. “It is possible for a successful company like ours, that lives under the name of Italy and the Italian touch, to support our country in a difficult moment. When the mayor of Rome asked me I said, yes, we would be proud to do that. But I wanted Tod’s Group to do it alone, because I don't want a group of companies to try to make advertising from the Colosseum – that is completely out of my mentality,” he told Forbes.
