FORBES LEADER | Renzo Rosso

I don't know, you say that. Honestly, I don't look at numbers, I'm not interested in those rankings. I'm much more interested in being on the list of influential people in fashion. I care about creativity and being loved for what we've done. I work with passion—maybe one day they'll create a ranking based on human values. OTB has consolidated a portfolio of very different brands as a strategy to reach a global consumer. We avoid similar brands to prevent duplication. Our mission is creativity and brands with unique, spectacular DNA. OTB is based in Italy but we're global. I've always been global, hiring from around the world because it was hard to find local skills. Still, I'm proud to be Italian—our culture, from creativity to food, and 70% of the world's cultural heritage is here. 80% of luxury production is made in Italy due to our unique craftsmanship. China is a wonderful country—we have many Gen Z buyers, but we started late there, so there's still potential. Beyond China, Asia is important: Thailand is growing, Korea is becoming the next Japan, and Vietnam is interesting. Mexico is also in strong development—we opened a subsidiary there. South America is starting to show positive signs.

Finance is serious—you have to follow rules and know numbers well. Numbers are fundamental for managing a company; you must control the profit and loss. If costs are too high or margin too low, you can't invest. With Red Circle, we invest in everything except fashion: wine, agriculture, hospitality, and recently aesthetic medicine clinics that we've elevated to include longevity. It's a fascinating sector in expansion. My wife follows it, but it gives me joy.

My wife is truly unique. I love her—she keeps me awake and motivates me to do more. She's enterprising, a good mother, and we are happy. We are a close family, do sports together, and have fun. We don't just talk about work.