PrimiDieci UK honour ‘The Ten Most Successful Italians In The UK’

May 4, 2016

PrimiDieci UK 2016 Awards Gala celebrate the achievements of c200,000 Italians currently living in the UK while gongs have been handed out to the ten most successful Italians in the UK today.

“As most of you know I have lived in the UK for 28 years and I know most of the Italian community here. I know there is great talent in the UK of Italian origin. I am extremely honoured that PrimiDieci represents the talent, creativity and innovation which is the great privilege of Italian people.” – Benito Fiore, Chairman of PrimiDieci UK

The crème de la crème of the international Italian community gathered at London’s prestigious BAFTA last night for the inaugural PrimiDieci UK 2016 Awards Gala Dinner, organised by the PrimiDieci Society, an international collective of exceptional individuals of Italian nationality or descent.

Hosted by ITV News Presenter Lucrezia Millarini, the PrimiDieci UK 2016 Awards Gala Dinner celebrated ‘The Ten Most Successful Italians in the UK Today’ across all fields, with renowned names in attendance. The black-tie event showcased some of Italy’s finest exports to highlight the vast achievements of the enterprising and dynamic global Italian community, which accounts for over 200,000 residents in the UK.

The evening saw 200 esteemed UK and international VIP guests in attendance, including the Chairman of the Selection Committee, H.E. P.Q. Terracciano, Italian Ambassador to the UK; Benito Fiore, Chairman of PrimiDieci UK; as well as PrimiDieci Society Members of the Board of Trustees. Also at the event were the distinguished awardees and representatives of the Italian, British and international business, cultural, celebrity and diplomatic communities, including renowned Italian chef Aldo Zilli and Sir Rocco Forte, Chairman of Rocco Forte Hotels.

Hosted at BAFTA, the awards began with a red carpet glittering reception. The ceremony was followed by a celebratory gala dinner, interspersed with keynote speeches and a special presentation on the distinguished work of Italian sculpture artist Mauro Olivotto (“Lampo”) who had flown into the event from the picturesque region of Dolomites, Italy to add a rustic flavor to the event. Lampo has been carving wood for the past thirty years and his expert hands create interesting, original shapes such as the bizarre “Giauli”, an imaginary population of gnomic beings that stem from his love for the mountains surrounding his hometown.

“I believe that you all can share my view that I had 10 very good reasons to accept to chair the selection committee of the PrimiDieci. The awardees represent the best in their professions and fields, and have reached the pinnacle of their respective careers” – Italian Ambassador, H.E. P.Q. Terracciano

The ten 2016 winners:

Ornella Barra (Executive Vice President of Walgreens Boots Alliance and President and Chief Executive of Global Wholesale and International Retail) and Stefano Pessina (Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance)
Vittorio Colao (CEO, Vodafone Group)
Andrea Ferrari (Director, Cambridge Graphene Centre)
Simonetta Agnello Hornby (Novelist, Lawyer)
Toni Mascolo (Co-Founder and CEO of Toni&Guy)
Antonio Pappano (Music Director of the Royal Opera House)
Greta Scacchi (Actress)
Massimo Tosato (Executive Vice Chairman at Schroders)
Francesco Vanni d’Archirafi (CEO, CITI Group)
Riccardo Zacconi (CEO, at King Digital Entertainment)

The PrimiDieci Society spot-light Italian origin individuals whose professional achievements champion awareness of the global Italian community, and inspire young generations of Italians and British-Italians to excellence. The event created a legacy that will educate and inspire the next generation of young leaders today to benefit the global community tomorrow.

Established in the USA in 2011, the PrimiDieci Society is currently active in the US and the UK, with more chapters planned in Europe, Latin America and Asia in 2017. The PrimiDieci UK 2016 Awards Gala Dinner will mark its inauguration in the UK after three highly successful similar events in New York as part of PrimiDieci USA. The winners’ life stories are celebrated in the annual PrimiDieci Books and each honouree was publicly presented and awarded during the Society’s Awards Gala Dinner, held annually in New York and London.