Chief Executive Officer, Luigi Lavazza S.p.A. (Lavazza Group)
Massimo Picca talks with Antonio Baravalle - CEO of Lavazza Group
Chaberton Partners is proud to present Connecting the Dots - The invisible path to success -, an exclusive series of CEOs ...
About Antonio Baravalle
Antonio Baravalle, CEO of Lavazza, has described the company as "the biggest of the small" among global coffee players, noting that it competes with much larger corporations such as Nestlé, Coca-Cola (which acquired Costa Coffee), and JDE. He has stated that the coffee market will face a "tsunami of consolidation" and that Lavazza must evolve its governance and management to avoid being acquired by larger competitors. Baravalle has emphasized the need for continuous change, saying that when a company performs well, it should immediately ask itself what it is doing to stay ahead, because other firms are already planning how to overtake it. Baravalle has also spoken about the importance of investing in people and education, arguing that innovation is not just about supporting startups but about creating a culture that accepts failure and encourages trying new things. He has called for greater transparency and professionalism in the relationship between companies and advertising agencies, opposing the practice of agencies being paid through media negotiation rights and arguing that clients should not try to replace agencies with in-house capabilities. He has noted that Lavazza's ownership structure, with two families holding 100% of the shares, allows the company to take a long-term view without the pressure of quarterly earnings reports.
Transcript (20 segments)
N
Narrator0:05
Where are the roads that lead to success traced? What are the key moments of a life or career? In one of the most quoted speeches, Steve Jobs said you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only do it looking back. Connect in the Dogs is where we meet the stories of leaders of major Italian companies to discover the key moments, masters, sliding doors, mistakes, and intuitions behind every success story.
Antonio Baravalle was born in Turin in 1964, holds a degree in biology and an MBA. He began his career at In Viaggio, then spent ten years at Fiat Group, serving as CEO of Lancia and Alfa Romeo. He later became General Manager of Mondadori Education and CEO of Einaudi and Electa. Since 2011, he has led Lavazza Group, driving international growth through acquisitions, now with 70% of revenue abroad. He has been recognized by Fortune Italia and Business People.
H
Host2:16
Today on Connect in the Dogs we have with us Antonio Baravalle, CEO of the Lavazza Group for twenty years, architect of one of the most beautiful recent stories of growth and development of an Italian company internationally. Welcome Antonio, thank you for being with us.
A
Antonio Baravalle2:32
Thank you all. The idea of this podcast is to retrace success paths by connecting the dots from our personal and professional story. We like to start from the origins. I was a child who never expected this: I was passionate about nature, trees, animals, and wanted to be a park ranger. I studied biology and did a thesis on the reproductive cycle of a micro moth in Val d'Aosta. But life took me elsewhere. My brother involved me in a consulting project, and I eventually did an MBA. That led to my first job. I am the classic example of someone who had no clear idea at 24. The key is curiosity and the will to throw yourself into things.
H
Host8:55
Fascinating story. In those years of adolescence, studies, and your first real start, were there any adult figures of reference, like your brother or a teacher, who helped you understand who you were and what you were made of?
A
Antonio Baravalle9:16
Two very different people: Professor Passerin d'Entrèves, a luminary in entomology who made me appreciate the problem-solving aspect of biology; and a finance professor at the MBA who told me science graduates have a different problem-solving mindset, giving us confidence.
H
Host11:29
Do you still see that key today when comparing with people from economic and engineering backgrounds?
A
Antonio Baravalle11:44
Now I look more at the completeness of life experiences: hobbies, volunteer work, taking challenges. I care more about the person's character and ability to fit with the context than specific competencies.
H
Host13:13
Your experience at Fiat was very formative, especially working closely with Sergio Marchionne. Can you share some passages that shaped your leadership style? You were one of the people he invested in and bet on.
A
Antonio Baravalle14:19
I owe at least 80% of my path to him. He personally chose a team of 25 young people, valuing leadership over competence. In my first interview, he asked if he was right to fire my boss. I said yes, because a number one with industrial competencies was managing a brand. He then assigned me to Lancia for a year to prove myself. His main lessons: never wait to change things, always raise the bar, lead by example. He was the hardest-working person I've known. I apply that attitude at Lavazza, but in a way that doesn't wear people out.
H
Host22:52
Then you embraced a very different challenge in publishing. What did that experience leave you with, looking back after more than ten years?
A
Antonio Baravalle23:07
It left me a lot. I'm a big reader and I wanted to see something different. I took a role at Mondadori, overseeing Einaudi and Electa. I had the chance to interact with intellectuals like Orhan Pamuk, David Foster Wallace, Jonathan Franzen, José Saramago. It was an intellectual challenge. I also appreciated the independence: no one ever told me not to publish something, even though it was a Berlusconi family company.
H
Host26:45
Looking at Lavazza now, ten years on, what are the milestones you like to remember? I recall meeting you about ten years ago and was struck by the clarity of your vision even then.
A
Antonio Baravalle27:30
The final conversation with Marco and Giuseppe Lavazza. They said the coffee market would face a tsunami of consolidation, and they wanted to evolve governance, professionalize the company, and not be a piece of the menu. That struck me. The company then had about 1 billion revenue, 70% in Italy. Over 12 years, we grew to 3 billion, 70% abroad, multi-brand. The key was building a transparent relationship with the shareholders. We divided into three phases: reconstruction (SAP systems), growth through acquisitions, and now further advancement. A memorable moment: the late President Alberto Lavazza told me I could do anything except touch the quality of the coffee, because his name is on the package.
H
Host33:52
When the time comes to close this successful cycle, what legacy would you like to leave? What digital fingerprints of your leadership do you hope will be remembered?
A
Antonio Baravalle34:20
I would like to be remembered as someone who contributed to building one of the largest international coffee brands that navigated and survived among multinationals, maintaining independence and with a leadership style respectful of people.
H
Host35:14
Looking back at your path, especially the sliding doors moments, what advice would you give to people who are in those uncertain moments where the next step is not clear and doubt outweighs certainty?
A
Antonio Baravalle36:28
First, understand today's competition is incredible. I remember nights lying in bed wondering what to do. In the dark, choose your passions. Work on your strengths, not weaknesses. Be curious, intuitive. Try to recognize your inner vibes. Marchionne always said we can't waste our lives chasing things that aren't dreams. Be humble; I started painting pallets at a factory. The people who failed most were those with a distorted self-perception. So great humility and self-analysis are fundamental.
H
Host40:34
That consideration really contains so much of you and your journey. I think this last passage can be very inspiring. Antonio, thank you so much for the richness of this beautiful conversation and for your authenticity. Thank you for being with us.
N
Narrator41:38
Thank you for listening to Connect in the Dogs, the exclusive podcast by Chaberton Partners. Follow us for updates and visit our website chabertonpartners.com.